The Commissioner of Police in Central Equatoria State is calling on the people not to pay for the services rendered by the police.

General Henry Danima says that some police personnel ask for money from civilians.

General Danima says the police service is not an income-generating institution and police personnel who collect money for their services are engaging in corruption.

He was speaking at a one-day workshop organized by the national Ministry of Social Welfare, the Special Protection Unit of the South Sudan Police Service and partners.

“The police institution or South Sudan National Police Service is not a revenue generating institution. It’s a service and free service rendering institution. So if anybody at the police desk or he is an officer or otherwise asks anybody to pay money for this service which is supposed to be run by free, that is corruption and we have to put an end to that.” He said.

The workshop was aimed at finding ways to help the police respond to cases of gender-based violence, including rape.

On the same occasion, Gen Danima said all the vulnerable groups, especially women and children should report cases of rape or harassment to the nearest police posts.

He encouraged the parents and relatives of victims of rape to pursue cases of rape in court.

“Cases of rape in the law …you cannot drop it. The parents of a girl raped have no right to drop that case, and the woman who is raped has no power in the law to drop it. The perpetrator must be punished. There is no way out.” The Central Equatoria State Police Commissioner said.

Gen. Danima says the police service has established more than ten special protection units all over the country.