By Hou Akot Hou
Warrap State government has detained salaries of 12 civil servants accused of involvement in the loss of weapons last month.
This information was revealed on Tuesday by Mr. Malith Marach Mawien, the Acting Director General of Wildlife in Warrap State, who spoke to this publication from Kuajok.
He stated that a committee has been formed to investigate the whereabouts of the weapons that were forcibly taken from the military.
The 12 employees have been given the condition that they must return the weapons; otherwise, their salaries will not be released.
“I want to inform those who have been accused of taking weapons from Gogrial West, Tonj, or elsewhere in Warrap State that if your name is on the government’s accused list and you are a government employee, please return the weapons. Otherwise, you will not receive your salary. The money belongs to the government,” Marach emphasized.
Mawien noted that the accused have been given a one-month ultimatum to return the weaponry. If they fail to do so, their salaries will not be disbursed.
Warrap State has been plagued by violent conflicts, making it vulnerable to banditry, including cattle theft and ambushes, such as the incident involving the South Sudan People’s Defense Forces, who were ambushed and disarmed last month.
This situation has contributed to the decision by the state government to withhold the salaries of the suspects, in addition to other stringent measures being implemented against them.