12 South Sudanese suspects and one foreign national among criminals arrested by the police in Juba for killing two people and injured one police officer - courtesy

Police in Juba have arrested twelve armed criminals over alleged killings at Hai Baraka last month.

The suspects were netted yesterday during a crackdown by the Central Equatoria state police Criminal Investigation Department.

This came after police said they had registered four incidents of armed robberies at Hai Baraka, Gudele and Hai Mauna residential areas.

In a statement, police said during the operation the suspects were found with weapons and fake hard currencies.

“Central Equatoria state police (CID) arrested 12 South Sudanese suspects and one foreign national who killed two people and injured one police officer,” the statement partly reads.

“The suspects were found in possession of 8 AK47 rifles, one pistol and $96,900 fake dollars and $132,000 black dollars.”

The statement added that the suspects are the most notorious gangs who rob people at gunpoint during night hours.

The suspects allegedly confessed to killing the two men at Hai-Baraka.

Speaking at Hai-Baraka where the suspects were paraded, the Inspector General of police, Gen Majak Akec Malok appealed to citizens to cooperate with the police.

“I am appreciating the police and the organized forces for the job well done,” said Majak Akec.

“These criminals should not escape, they are a headache for our citizens in Juba. The Judiciary should expedite the trial of these suspects.”

Hai-Baraka residents applauded the police for arresting the criminals.

“We have seen today that there is a government in this country. The government has a big role to play, in South Sudan you can’t sleep at night, boda-boda riders are being killed, and mothers are being killed, fathers are being killed,” one of the residents told the state run TV SSBC.

“We are really tired, for real we are really tired in South Sudan but now we saw there is a government.”

“My message to you as the government to ensure that you investigate this suspect, I am appreciating the CID for a job well done,” another area resident said.

“We are very happy to see that these criminals are arrested, this criminal we don’t know what the government should do to them, once they are tried I pray the government will do what it can to teach lessons to the rest not to do it again.”