File: SSPDF soldiers pictured in farming area of Equatoria region. Courtesy PHOTO: Samir Bol/AFP via Getty Images

Three SSPDF soldiers accused of terrorizing civilians in Lainya County of Central Equatoria state have been arrested.

This is according to the Paramount Chief of Loka-round villages.

“These soldiers were arrested, they are three,” Simon Ladu confirmed.

On Tuesday, local leaders in Loka-round Boma reported that a unit of the SSPDF has been looting, displacing and killing civilians in the area.

The soldiers are accused of stealing goats, chickens and even torturing local leaders and some villagers.

They reportedly tied up the Executive Chief of Loka-round Boma and some other people and threatened to kill them.

The elements of the SSPDF reportedly rounded up 11 people, including women, children and the elderly and beat them up.

The latest attack on civilians happened on Sunday where hundreds have been displaced into nearby bushes and to the neighboring Uganda.

They allegedly forced some church leaders in Loka to “drink alcohol in order to intimidate them” a witnessed told Eye Radio.

But the SSPDF acting spokesperson, Brigadier Santo Domic told Eye Radio that the incident has not been verified.

On Thursday, the Paramount Chief of Loka-round reported that three soldiers have been apprehended.

“The commander of these forces is based in Limbe, so he sent his forces and arrested those soldiers in the Loka-base,” Simon Ladu told Eye Radio from Lainya town.

The suspects have reportedly been transferred to Yei town for investigations.

“Usually when they come to arrest their members, they don’t want us to get involved -even as a paramount chief, I did not see the criminals with my eyes.”

A member of the national parliament who represents Lainya County had called on the SSPDF headquarters to immediately replace the unit that is accused of brutalizing the civilians.

Dusman Joyce called for the arrest of officers accused of raping a 75-year-old woman in Lainya, adding that these soldiers have repeatedly disrupted livelihood by causing havoc to the civilian population.