President Salva Kiir has accused the organized forces of committing crimes in the country.

Kiir, who was addressing senior officers from all the security organs in Juba on Wednesday, said the forces have been seen looting and destroying property openly in uniform.

The President also stated that the organized forces are selling their uniform and weapons to criminals.

“Biggest share of blame”

“Your uniforms are being used by criminals. Where do they get them from? It is you who sell them to the criminals in the town here, because you have access to the stores for guns and uniforms,” President Kiir blasted the senior security officers.

“You have the biggest share of blame. One example is the Juba-Nimule highway whereby homes along the road were all looted and destroyed. Who did it? It is you because everyone using that road can see soldiers on the house roof and removing the roofing. Isn’t that a shame?”

President Kiir warned soldiers against collaborating with criminals through lending of guns and uniforms to commit crimes.

Kiir, however, acknowledged operational and logistical challenges faced by the organized forces, including shortage of arms, uniforms and vehicles.

But several analysts have attributed the rise in security-committed crimes to little pay and failure by the government to pay the army on time. Some say they go for at least 3 months without pay.

A couple of government officials have also blamed deadly night robberies on the security forces.

In August, the Minister of Defense told Eye Radio that some of the criminals behind night robberies in Juba are members of the organized forces, including the Presidential Guards. He described them as “weak-hearted” soldiers.

Currently, seven members of the Joint Force are reportedly under police custody for killing a baby in Juba recently.