By Ruot George
A five-member committee has been formulated by the president Salva Kirr Mayardit to investigate the cases of insecurity and extrajudicial killings previously reported in Unity State especially in Mayom county.
The move by the presidency to constitute this committee is happening in the aftermath of an attack in July this year where 12 people including Mayom county commissioner Maj. Gen. James Chuol Gatluak were assassinated allegedly by forces loyal to South Sudan people movement led by Stephen Buay Rolnyang.
About 17 soldiers plus three civilians also lost their lives in the vicinity of Mayom County when a convoy belonging to South Sudan army mission to Mayom was ambushed in Tochloka near Lol River.
This gruesome incidences persuaded Unity State governor Dr. Joseph Nguen Munytuil to don on military attire and declared war against the rebel leader Stephen Buay whom he instructed the army to find and bring him dead or alive.
Four men suspected to be loyal to the unruly Gen.Stephen Rolnyang were then on Aug 6th intercepted and captured in Fula town of Durfur in the neighboring Sudan.
Three of the four men were killed by firing squad while the remaining one was set alight by men in army uniform allegedly having been handed over to South Sudan Defense forces (SSDF).
The killing saw the minister of defense and veteran affairs Angelina Teny as well as chief of defense forces Santino Deng Wol came openly to strongly condemn it with a promise to investigate and come to the bottom of this horrific development when the video of the killing went viral in the media.
In what appeared to be the response to the extrajudicial execution and persistent insecurity in Unity, the presidency issued an order on September 8th 2022 in which he named members of organized forces and senior legal advisor of the ministry of justice start the investigation.
The members of this taskforce are; Maulana Sarafino Simon Mizan, senior legal counsel ministry of justice and constitution affairs who is also the chairperson of the committee, Maj. Gen. Henry Lam Juach SSPDF,Maj. Gen. Abud Stephen Thiangkol Internal Security Bureau National Security Services, Brig. Advocate Aguek Chol Aguer, SSPDF and Maj. Sebit Mamuod Malege.
The committee is on a mission to investigate the causes of insecurity, extrajudicial killing, rape and destruction of properties in Mayom County with full power to summon and interrogate any suspect implicated in the incident including those already in custody
The committee which has also been empowered to interview any relevant witness or witnesses to the incidences is expected to present their findings on 28th September 2022, fifteen days from the dates of signature of the order.
Relatedly, the council of states moved a motion following the incidences in mayom to delete their confidence in Unity State governor Dr. Joseph Munytuil whom they accuse of failing to control the security situation in the state and his role in the extrajudicial killing in Mayom.
In May 2022, president Kiir formed an investigation committee headed by late minister of Water Resources and Irrigation Manaw Peter Gatkuoth to investigate events in Koch and Mayiandit but the report was never presented as the head of this investigation passed on before unveiling his findings.
