Map of Western Equatoria State. (Courtesy).

The Commissioner of Yambio County, Western Equatoria has closed three public offices responsible for land in the area due to corruption allegations.

Mbiko Barakat said he took the decision to shut down the offices of Land Dispute, Land Register, and County Engineer offices after the public raised concerns about corruption in the departments.

Barakat alleged that the land officials have been involved in fraud and were stealing land in the name of the state government.

He stated that the individuals often claim they were demarcating designated land for government use, but instead, they were selling the property to different people.

According to him, over 5,000 people have been uprooted from their homes due to the act, leaving hundreds of households without shelter.

Barakat says his intention is to put an end to the unjust land allocations as well as rectify past wrongs and set the course of action to serve the locals.

“I think there’s a very high rate of corruption or its almost like looting of the land which is happening in Yambio County, by the authorities concerned,” he told Eye Radio.

“That is the reason why I tried to close three departments which are Land Dispute, Land Registrars and County Engineer office was closed for more than seven days now.”

“So, the intention is if you come together and seat and discussed to pave the way on how we can service our people in Yambio County.”

The Commissioner accuses the mayor and his deputies of demarcating, planning, and allocating land in Yambio town.

According to Commissioner Barakat, this illicit conduct has left over five thousand people without shelter, while the mayor’s office claims the land for government use.

“As we talk now, there are no plots of land which are remained in this municipality which is not demarcated.”

“They are demarcating Sundays, Saturdays, Fridays, and every day even when you ask the authorities in the office, they tell you we don’t know what’s going on the ground.”

“I did not send anybody to demarcate the land, but people are there demarcating the land and taking the land every day in the name of the government.”