A 18-year-old man has allegedly been beaten to death by members of a joint operation forces at the Jebel Yesua Residential Area of Juba, local residents said on Monday.

Residents said the force commonly known as “Sector” was deployed to maintain security in the area.

Speaking to Radio Tamazuj in the area, a sister of the deceased who sought anonymity said her late brother had gone to the Sector to report a case of a stolen mobile phone but instead the soldiers turned against him beating him to death. 

“When they came to pick him, Sebit (the late) I asked them where they were taking him, they ordered me to go away, I went the church to report the matter to my mother,” she said

“When my father came, we went to the sector and found my brother lying down, covered with a plastic sheet, they told us his assailant gave him one blow and he fell down. His assailant was taken to the Kuburi Haboba Police Station. We heard that the deceased was lifted up and they hit him in the back,” she recalled.

Stephen Modi, an immediate neighbor and an eye witness said the late Sebito was dragged and beaten by five soldiers from the joint force while his hands were tied.

“I was at home and the late went out, later I saw him coming home with five more people from the joint force but they were not in uniforms. They started assaulting the boy with bamboo sticks, and they kicked him, I got up and asked them what happened but they declined to talk to me. I asked Sebit what was going on and he said his phone had been stolen and even before he finished talking to me, they continued beating him, he was handcuffed,” Modi said.

“They took him, beat him, when he fell down, they continued beating him while frog matching him to the sector. After a short while, her sister came crying, when I inquired from her, she told me Sebit was dead,” he narrated.  

Modi appealed to the authorities to replace the joint forces with a regular police.

 “These forces were brought to protect the civilians but if they are doing things this way we as the youths, we will die one by one. The government should bring police because the police know how to deal with civil cases,” she said.   

Cecilia Kenyi Wani Abuzet, mother of the late, decried the actions of the joint force saying it was not the first time such an incident was happening.

“So many youths have lost their lives in such a manner and we don’t want any soldier in this area, this is not the first time. We don’t want any sector and these people should be taken away if the government is listening”.   

Luka Angelo Rufael, Chief of Jebel Yesua Block 6, said two suspects have been detained to help with investigations.

“As leaders of the people in the area, we demand justice for the late, we are not happy with what happened in our area, the rest of the investigation will be carried out by the police investigator.” he said.  

Philip Juma Oliver, former Chairman of Quarter Council of Jebel Yesua Block 5 residential area, called for removal of the security forces and their replacement with police.

“When people are living in peace, soldiers should be replaced with police,” he noted.  

Police Spokesman Maj Gen. Daniel Justin confirmed the incident, saying forces fired in the air to disperse angry youths who wanted to demonstrate following the incident but downplayed claims that the boy was beaten to death by the security forces.

He instead claimed that the deceased collapsed on the way to the Sector because he was drunk.