File: Some of the evictees speak with Eye Radio's Charles Wote on Wednesday, Nov 18, 2020 | Credit | Eye Radio

A senior military officer has resorted to physically assaulting members of a family in Juba residents and promised to kill for a land dispute, according to a chief.

Gen. Francis Orago, who is said to be under the SSPDF Tiger Division, which protects President Salva Kiir, allegedly had houses bulldozed at Hai Game North on 17 November – claiming that he bought the plot from Juba City Council.

However, the family, which say, it has been living on the plot since 1994, built a makeshift shelter.

It is not clear who allotted the land since the Juba City Council denied it, saying it was not aware of the matter.

Besides, it said it has suspended registration, processing and allotment of land in the state.

The chief of Hai Game North – Rose Aya – stated that Gen. Francis has vowed to kill for the piece of land.

“The general swore that he would kill someone because of the plot. And if he does not kill somebody, he won’t be happy,” she told Eye Radio.

He allegedly attacked family members on Sunday evening.

“At around 9:00, the general came riding in a car and called out a boy called Onyango. When Onyango approached him, the general held the boy at gunpoint as he slapped his face several times. The rest of the family members ran away – to a nearby swamp,” Chief Aya explained.

When contacted by Eye Radio, the acting chief executive director of Juba city council, Martin Simon Wani, described the matter as “just a dispute”.

“Remember last time I said I would find out from our director of Juba block. We realized that thing is just a dispute between two people,” Wani said.

Right groups say land-grabbing remains a security threat committed by senior army and national security generals in South Sudan.

A 2019 report by Amnesty International suggested that justice system in South Sudan has been crippled by a lack of independence.

It revealed that prosecutors only follow the directives of the executive, and in the absence of such directives, do not investigate serious crimes.

As a result, victims such as Onyango, who was assaulted by General Francis on Sunday night, are unlikely to get access justice justice due to high levels of impunity.