Nicholas Haysom, the Special Representative of the Secretary General and Head of UN Mission in South Sudan -Credit: Charles Wote/Eye Radio -14th April 2022

The UN mission in South Sudan has commended the government and the army for holding culprits accountable for committing what it said are horrific crimes in Yei County.

During the trial, five members of the South Sudan People’s Defense Forces accused of murder and rape were sentenced to up to 10 years of imprisonment and required to compensate the victims.

The convicts were then stripped of their ranks and dismissed from the army.

In a press release extended to Eye Radio, the UNMISS cited the Special Representative of the Secretary-General for South Sudan as saying the mission provided funding for survivors and witnesses to receive counseling before and after

Nicholas Haysom says the funding helped provide logistical assistance for the victims and hire translators during the court trial.

He stated that survivors were also assigned a dedicated support person during the proceedings.

Linda Tom, the spokesperson of UNMISS read the statement: “The Special Representative of the Secretary-General for South Sudan Nicholas Haysom commended the authorities and the SSPDF for holding perpetrators accountable for the horrific crimes committed. And the community played an essential role, as they demanded that these cases be investigated and adjudicated.”

The Yei General Court Martial is part of the Mission’s ongoing collaboration with the Military Justice Directorate to strengthen accountability within the SSPDF.