Jonglei State Governor John Koang Nyuon has defended the detention of more than 26 women who were arrested this week for demonstrating against the state government.

The women accused the state government of corruption and administrative weakness, and called for replacing the governor.

Koang says the women were mistaken because some of them are serving in the police, prison service and the Criminal Investigation Department.

“If a child makes a mistake, that child has to be canned and if he is not canned, you will tell him a word which he could not forget again. There are people who say women should not be detained in jail. But let us be equal in everything. Jail is ours. We will not say they are women, why did they protest if they know that they are women?” The Governor said.

Koang has blamed politicians for using women as tools to sabotage his state government.