Residents of Khor Williang in Juba have raised concerns over “an increase in armed night robberies” in the area.
According to the residents, the armed robbers often beat up their victims before stealing properties.
One of the women, who spoke to Eye Radio, said she was robbed of her belongings, including money, cell-phone and bed covers, recently.
“My husband is a taxi driver he give them all money he had made – 85,000 pounds and another 15,000 pounds for the owner of the vehicle,” Joy Tabu recalled, with tears rolling down her cheeks. “They left us with nothing, not even little money to buy water.”
There have been reported cases of armed robberies in the capital. Victims often describe them as men in army or police uniform.
“Are these guns they carry are men to rob civilians of their valuables, kill them or rape women and girls? Aren’t they for protecting us?” Said another angry woman.
The night robberies reoccur despite presence of a police station in the residential area
In response, the national police spokesperson, Maj.-Gen. Daniel Justin advised the residents to “go to the head of the police station or give them my phone number”.
“We have forces on the ground, and we have the sector, and we do coordinate with the emergency call center,” Maj.-Gen. Justin told Eye Radio on Friday.
“So, if there is an emergency, we always contact people on the ground and we move in patrol vehicles as needed.”
Another resident wondered whether the incidents are related to poor salaries that are paid regularly.
The resident, who chose anonymity, suggested a fundraising for the security sector.
“We are ready to do fundraising for soldiers to come and protect us at night,” she said.
The police is mandated to maintain law and order in the country, according to the transitional constitution.
However, President Salva Kiir in 2018 accused the police and other organized forces of being behind night robberies in Juba and other towns in the country.
Observers have attributed the crimes committed by soldiers and police officers to poor pay and bad economy.
Kuol Manyang, the then minister of defense had earlier described the members of organized forces as weak-hearted for using their weapons to terrorize civilians.