A herder from Tali is left with a broken arm after IO forces allegedly tortured him over his cattle in Mundri East.
Juma Marlogo, age 27, says he was tortured when he tried to take his cattle allegedly stolen by unnamed person from Tali.
The herder pointed out that his cattle went missing for over a week from Tali but was later informed they are with the SPLA-IO forces in Mundri East.
Juma said the authorities in Mundri East County informed him that his animals were found and in the custody of IO forces.
However, when he went to retrieve the cattle, he was denied by SPLA-IO that the animals were not his – and was beaten up.
“I lost a number of cattle in the area of Tali, and the officials in the area [Mundri East] gave me a letter stating that my cattle were found by the soldiers at the border,” Juma said.
“The SPLA-IO soldiers told me the cattle were not mine, and I told them these seven cattle are mine, but they beat me and broke my arm. I also got injuries in my elbow and hand.”
In his response to the allegation made by the said cattle owner, Colonel Julus Mopoyi, the SPLA-IO commander on the ground confirmed to Eye Radio that the man was indeed beaten because he was violence and couldn’t prove the cattle were his.
Colonel Julus says they recovered cattle from a thief as they were manning security at the border of Terekeka and Mundri East counties.
He says the said cattle owner came to their office and violently misbehaved which left the soldiers with no option but to give him some lashes.
“He claimed the stolen cattle were seven, but we only had six, and when we asked him to describe his cattle before he was taken to where they were kept, he failed to prove and the thief also denied stealing cattle from him,” Colonel Julus said.
“What made him get angry and act violently is what forced the soldiers to lash him.”
For her part, Mundri East County Commissioner, Margret Fozi described the incident as harassment of civilians.
She appealed to the IO political leadership to talk to their forces not to interfere with her civil administration mandate.
“The leadership of SPLA-IO here, should advice the soldiers not to interfere with local government work. Yes, they [SPLA-IO] are part of the government, the soldiers only deal with the army and the civil authority work should be left to local government,” Commissioner Fozi said.
“Anything to do with borders and cattle is the responsibility of the commissioner not of the army so my appeal is that the leadership of SPLM-IO in national and state should advise their Generals.”