Man behind bars. | Courtesy

Police have confirmed the arrest and detention of a man who smeared his body with poop and stood naked before the Ministry of Finance and Planning this week.

On Monday, the unnamed man believed to be in his forties stood for sometime at the gate of the finance ministry.

His motives are unclear but witnesses are speculating that he was protesting against the institution.

However, South Sudan Police Spokesperson said the man has a history of mental illness.

Major General Daniel Justin said the man was arrested and later sent to Juba Central Prison.

“That person is Mentally Unwell he came to the Ministry of Finance naked and was smearing poop on his body, so the police there arrested and showered him and they called the parents,” Gen. Justin said.

“His case is known that it is a mental health issue he is now at the mental institution at Juba Central Prison after he was dressed up”.

According to witnesses, the man was taken away by security officers after attempting to enter the gates of the ministry.

“The person came like a mentally disturbed person in the side of the Ministry and people started running away. When he tried entering, the gate was locked, so he was writing random things on the wall then the soldiers came and he was taken in a Land-cruiser.”

South Sudan has one of the largest mental health gaps in the world, according to the World Health Organization.

The country has no psychiatric hospital and mentally ill are normally detained at prison facilities.