Futuyo dismisses alleged involvement in sexual violence, demands evidence

JUBA, JUNE 21, 2023 (SUDANS POST) – The governor of South Sudan’s Western Equatoria State Alfred Futuyo on Wednesday denied accusations by the United States that he was involved in sexual-related violence in his state prior to his appointment as governor.

The United States on Tuesday imposed sanctions on Futuyo and South Sudan People’s Defense Forces (SSPDF) commander James Nando, saying the two men “abused their positions of political and military authority to carry out acts of sexual violence against citizens of South Sudan.”

The U.S. Treasury specifically said forces led by Futuyo kidnapped at least 887 civilians and gang-rapped 43 of them between April and August 2018, just as peace talks between the government and the SPLM-IO were ongoing in the Sudanese capital Khartoum.

Reacting to the US sanctions, the opposition commander said he has never commanded any forces and said he cannot be held accountable for crimes he said might have been committed by other people such as General Nando.

“Lt. Gen. Alfred Futuyo Karaba has never commanded any commander or forces or soldier to attack, kill or rape a civilian in Western Equatoria and there was not any complaint raised to the SPLA-IO base in regarding rape or any of the above crime that the high command would investigate,” he said.

“If Gen. James Nando or any soldier who might use a sole power to execute any of such crimes during conflict, he or she is responsible for it,” he added.

He called on the US Treasury to establish an investigation and name the soldiers it believes might have carried out the crimes so that the main armed opposition group can strip them of their immunity for them to be taken to court.

“I am hereby calling upon the U.S. Department of The Treasury to convey an investigation and list out the names of IO soldiers who might have committed those crimes so that SPLA-IO Military Base Western Equatoria can free them to face the law, because from 2013 to 2018, there were several groups involved in the conflict the SPLA-IO, SSNLM, and SSOA,” he said.

He said that “if Gen. Alfred Futuyo was directly or indirectly involved in any of those crimes, they should present it with evidence for him to take its responsibility.”

The statement further claimed that the American sanctions were imposed by the U.S. government, a friend of South Sudan, just “to tarnish the image of H.E. Lt. Gen. Alfred Futuyo Karaba leadership in governance.”