SPLA Court Martial Submits Sixty SPLA Officers Names To President, Says Lul

September 01, 2016(Nyamilepedia) —— JUBA – The SPLA told Nyamile press over the phone that more than sixty SPLA officers have been heard on various sentences for different crimes committed during the fighting between SPLA –in Government and SPLA – in Opposition in month of July in Juba.

South Sudan army spokesperson Brig. Gen. Lul Ruai Koang told Nyamile press on Wednesday that the officers were charged and convicted of murder, looting, loitering and threats. The SPLA High command formed a court martial following the fighting to hold accountable for the officers on their responsibilities for misconduct.

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The SPLA High command called upon civilians who were victims of violations to report their grievances and file charges against any officer at the court martial.

Brig. Gen. Lul stressed that the list of those convicted has been sent to the President for approval. “The sentences are going to be made public once the approval is given, especially for those who have been sentenced for murder or life imprisonment,” he said.

He, however, stated that none of the officers was charged with rape, because no individuals have complained to the military of this violation. But on July 11, soldiers reportedly invaded some of the hotels in the capital city of Juba and gang-raped foreign aid workers.

On the other hands, Africa Union (AU) urges to speed up setting of the South Sudan Hybrid Court; the congressional Subcommittee on Africa and Global Human Rights is urging the African Union to speed up the establishment of the Hybrid court for South Sudan.

According to the peace agreement, the court should be established by the African Union to investigate and try individuals responsible for violations committed during the conflict and throughout the transitional period. The peace agreement gives the hybrid court the jurisdiction on genocide, crimes against humanity, war crimes and any other serious crimes under international law and any other relevant laws of South Sudan.

The compromised Agreement stated that the court should have been established six months after the formation of the transitional government, which delayed until last April.

Christopher Henry Smith, Chairman of the Subcommittee on Africa, Global Health, Global Human Rights and International Organizations at the U.S. House of Representatives believes that the hybrid court for South Sudan will be established.

“I’m a strong believer in hybrid court. So I would hope the AU should move faster and I think also should go intending with the reconciliation effort as well which [is] articulated in the peace accord,” Mr Smith told Nyamile press. It is proposed that the court will have seven judges, four from the AU-member countries and three from South Sudan.

Peter Akech Awan, an academician says, “If these sixty names submitted to the president Salva Kiir are true criminals, then our SPLA or army would have done fair treatment on the country peace and security.”