The executive director in Chahari Payam of Ikwoto county in Eastern Equatoria State say they are unable to respond to crime incidents due to shortage of police personnel in the area.
According to Tito Abas Omoro Ohide, the executive director of Chahari Payam headquarters, shortage of police in the area poses a threat to community safety due to the longer response.
He reports that last week they were not able to act on two separate killing incidents in the area because of lack of enough forces and now the perpetrators of the crime are on the run.
‘’ I have only four police in the Payam of which two are active and other two are just wounded police and the crimes that are happening like what I have just mentioned, I am currently coordinating with the youth and chiefs in arresting suspects of crimes which sometimes is hard,’’ Abas told Singaita 88.3 FM.
Abas cautions that when perpetrators of crimes are not apprehended, then more crimes will continuously be reported, and this hinders peace and security stability.
‘’I call upon the state government to intervene in the situation as it is the only way forward to curb insecurities in the area,’ he appealed.
In response Hon. Peter Lokeng Lotone, the state minister of local government and law enforcement says as soon as deployment of the unified forces is put into operation thus police force will be added.
‘’ We are aware of shortage of police in Chahari Payam because currently it is the youth and the chiefs that are supporting the government in terms of responding to insecurity incidents on the ground, but we are still waiting for the deployment of the unified force whereby some of them will be taken there,’’ said Lokeng.
Common crimes there include theft, sexual and gender-based violence, early and forced marriages, assaults, according to the Payam administrator.