Eight suspects have been detained in connection with an alleged child abduction and trafficking network operating in Suk Darfur residential area, northeast of Juba, according to a statement issued by the South Sudan People’s Defence Forces (SSPDF).
Maj. Gen. Lul Ruai Koang, SSPDF Spokesperson said its Combat Military Intelligence Operations, Department of Surveillance, uncovered the alleged network following sustained surveillance and intelligence gathering into the disappearance of children.
According to the statement, residents reported 23 children missing under mysterious circumstances over the past three years, first to the police and later to the SSPDF.
Military intelligence operatives subsequently raided several houses suspected of serving as hideouts and detained eight people believed to be linked to the alleged network.
The SSPDF statement identifies five suspects in one category, including three people described as army deserters and two civilians, an elderly woman and a juvenile.
The elderly woman was identified as Mary Hassan lTurkey, while the juvenile was named Ayella Dominic Onono.
The army alleges that Onono lured unsuspecting children using sweets and biscuits and was paid 600,000 South Sudanese pounds after successfully attracting three children.
The statement alleges that abducted children were kept in designated houses while potential buyers, reportedly including individuals from the Greater Pibor Administrative Area (GPAA), were identified.
It further claims that three civilians allegedly found in possession of seven abducted children escaped arrest and remain at large.
According to the SSPDF, a baby girl could fetch 15 million South Sudanese pounds, estimated in the statement at $1,700, while a boy could be sold for nine million pounds, estimated at $1,100, in Juba.
The statement alleges that prices were higher in Greater Pibor and surrounding areas, including Gumuruk, where boys were reportedly exchanged for between 45 and 50 cows and girls for between 30 and 45 cows.
The army also alleges that individuals from Greater Pibor acted as buyers in Juba, while others, including people reportedly from Northern Bahr el Ghazal State, helped lure children, keep them in houses and arrange their sale.
These allegations have not been independently verified.
The SSPDF statement names Hon. Stephen Jongkuch Kudumuch, a former finance minister in Greater Pibor, among three civilians it describes as alleged accomplices.
According to the army, an elderly woman identified as Mary Amei had stayed at his house with an abducted child before leaving for Gumuruk.
The statement says the woman was arrested and detained in Gumuruk on the afternoon of the announcement after Kudumuch contacted his relatives following his detention.
The army said it was unclear whether the woman was still with the child. Authorities intend to bring both to Juba once the child is located.
The statement does not establish that Kudumuch has been convicted of any offence.
The SSPDF said a boy who had allegedly been abducted about 20 days earlier was recovered from Greater Pibor and reunited with his parents.
Eight other children had also been traced but were still awaiting repatriation to Juba for reunification with their families.
The army said the 23 children reported missing came from different communities residing in Juba, including Nuer, Dinka and Shilluk ethnic groups.
The statement did not clarify whether all 23 missing-child cases had been conclusively linked to the suspects.
The SSPDF urged residents to protect their children, remain vigilant and cooperate with security agencies by reporting suspected criminal hideouts.
The army leadership, on behalf of Chief of Defence Forces Gen. Santino Deng Wol, congratulated military intelligence personnel under Lt. Gen. Aboud Stephen Thiongol. It particularly commended Col. Valentino Yel and the Combat Military Intelligence Operations surveillance team.
The statement did not specify when the suspects would appear in court or whether formal charges had been filed. The allegations remain subject to investigation and due legal process.
