Bor County Commissioner Samuel Ateny Pech told reporters on Thursday that the soldier, identified as Thomas Wani, was apprehended and is now under investigation.
“The security officer involved in the incident, which led to the harassment of an elderly woman, has been identified and arrested. He is currently being investigated,” Ateny said.
He described the incident as “regrettable and unacceptable,” stressing that such behavior undermines the objective of the disarmament campaign, which is intended to restore peace and protect civilians.
“The officer has apologized, and the National Security Service—under whose unit he serves—has also apologized to the elderly woman and the entire community of Jonglei State. He will face disciplinary action in line with the service’s code of conduct,” Ateny added.
In a separate statement, Maj. Gen. Samuel Lueth, Head of the National Security Service (NSS) Operations in Bor, also confirmed the arrest and issued a public apology to the victim’s family and the general public.
“What Thomas Wani did was not in any way sanctioned by the National Security Service. He was under the influence of alcohol when he committed the act. We have arrested him, and he will be held accountable under the law,” Lueth said.
The video, which began circulating on Thursday morning, shows a uniformed officer pointing a rifle at an unarmed woman while issuing threats—a scene that sparked widespread outrage from the public and civil society organizations.
Human rights advocates like Bol Deng Bol, the Executive Director of INTERPID South Sudan, have condemned the act, urging authorities to ensure accountability and uphold human rights during the disarmament exercise.
The disarmament campaign, launched last month in Bor, aims to reduce the proliferation of illegal firearms and curb intercommunal violence in Jonglei State.
