SSPDF soldier detained over alleged rape in South Sudan border town

JUBA – A South Sudan People’s Defense Force (SSPDF) soldier is being detained in Majok-Yithiou, a border town with Sudan, after being accused of raping a 13-year-old girl on Dec. 26, the second day of Christmas, the town’s mayor said on Friday.

George Garang Bak said the incident occurred while the girl’s parents were away from home.

“What happened is that an SSPDF soldier raped a 13-year-old girl, and at this stage, we never want to name names in order to help calm the situation,” Bak told Sudans Post yesterday.

“It angered many people as officers who are posted to this far end of the border are acting unprofessionally,” he added.

He added that he was urging the girl’s parents to remain calm as the situation was being handled by municipal and divisional authorities.

“Sexual abuses are not condonable and that nobody can compromise his or her position as a result of the security that the men in uniforms are giving to the public,” Bak said.

“This is something that the court will follow with him strictly, and he is going to get the results of his behavior,” he added.

The mayor vowed to follow up on the matter to ensure the soldier is held accountable, setting an example for other SSPDF officers.

The girl is being treated at Aweil hospital and awaits court hearings in the coming days.