Jonglei state police dismisses more than 50 officers
June 25, 2018 (BOR) – At least 53 police officers have been dismissed for neglecting duties in Jonglei state, the police commissioner said.
The officers had reportedly been deployed to provide security to civilians after fighting took place between Panwel and Anuet clans early this year.
According to Major General Chol Atem, the dismissal of the officers came after a series of warnings were sent to them. He official accused the officers for showing up at work only to receive salaries.
“Whenever there is receiving of salaries, they come but when there are no salaries, they don’t, so the police Commissioner forward it to council of ministers and Security Committee and the outcome was punishment which was dismissal,” he told Eye Radio.
According to Atem, orders to dismiss the police officers were given by the state Council of Ministers and the state security committee.
They were charged with disobedience and neglecting their stations.
Bior Bior Makuei, one of the dismissed officers, rejected these claims.
“Such a case happened. 53 were dismissed, but we don’t know the reason why we were dismissed,” he told Eye Radio in an interview.
According to Makuei, the dismissal of the police officers was not procedural at all.
“According to normal procedure, if an officer has made a mistake, he or she is first warned and advised before dismissal, but the Commissioner never did that,” he said.
(ST)