The Inspector General of Police has alleged that most of the criminals in the country use police uniforms to commit crimes and get away with it.

Speaking to Eye Radio’s Dawn Program today, General Pieng Deng called on the public to be cautious of those wearing police uniforms on the street.

“Many criminals are using the police uniforms especially after we have really tightened the security,” he said.  “Now they pretended to be like police, on how to enter into the town or move around and definitely I can say 70 percent could be criminals but 30 percent may be individuals who are within the police. You know we are not angels, the police are not angels, and there may be some bad elements within the police. But for sure 70 percent as I said are criminals.”

General Pieng Deng also said that the two police men who caused panic in Juba last week after shooting in the air to disperse people have been arrested.

On Tuesday Juba residents visiting a market were terrified after gunshots were fired by police officers to disperse crowd of people gathered to see porters fight.

General Pieng Deng said that the two police officers are being punished for not handling the situation professionally – especially at a time when the country was going through political tension and uncertainty.

“For sure, those two individual police who were at the scene and who shot the gun were wrong,” he said. “We have arrested them because that was not the way to handle such situation because it was just a quarrel between two people. They could have managed it without shooting.”