Lt Gen Atok Atem, the Director of the Juba National Prison spokes to Eye Radio of sexual exploitation allegedly by Juba Prison officers - Courtesy

This month, South Sudanese online users were woken up with shocking news of sexual exploitation in Juba Prison and the Director spoke to Eye Radio over these allegations.

In an hour and two-minute video shared on social media on the 27th of January 2024, Akon Akuei Ajou accused two prison officials of sexual exploitation resulting in her pregnancy.

Akon alleges that she is now five months pregnant from the male warders that hold the keys to the female section at the prison.

Eye Radio’s Gender reporter, Michael Daniel sat down with the Director of the Juba National Prison, Lt Gen Atok Atem to respond to allegations of sexual exploitation by prison warders.

Michael Daniel: What do you say about the allegation of sexual exploitation raised by one of the female inmates?

Lt Gen Atem: When I came to the office, I found that woman pregnant and she accused a female prison warder of being behind it. so, I want to show the world how the prison works, the female prison is run by officers but when it comes to closing the wards there is a committee that goes from cell to cell and the keys are kept in a box, so, in the female prison, there are women who work in the morning and night shift, they prepare to close wards together with the male warders, so, in the female prison, there are no men that work there, it is all women working there.

Michael Daniel: In the video, Akon alleges that she was taken by a female warder, drugged, and raped by three men in a clinic inside the prison, is this true?

Lt Gen Atem: As she stated, she was admitted to the hospital on 11^th August…September 2023 and was taken by a woman called Sana, Sana is a very strict person and she [Akon] does not like her which is why she mentioned her name in the video and said that she was injected and drugged, and when she woke up she found three men in front of her, how can a normal person say something like that, and how can three men sleep with a person at the same time?

Michael Daniel: When did the administration of the prison notice Akon is pregnant?

Lt Gen Atem: We saw she was gaining weight, so the prison administration decided to take her for a checkup and scanning. She was taken to the hospital and they found out she was pregnant, then she [Akon] was taken to Juba Teaching Hospital for scanning, and it showed that she was 5 months and five days pregnant. When we started investigating how she got pregnant inside the prison, then she started doing that video, after coming from the hospital.

Michale Daniel: What action did the prison administration take to make sure this matter is addressed and doesn’t happen if it turns out to be true?

Lt Gen Atem: We have formed a committee to find facts. We will go to the hospital and ask people working there and check the record book to see who visited her and any treatment that was given to her, so, we have a committee to develop the facts but I am sure she [Akon] is doing this to put these people in a problem. The committee will submit its report in 3 days.