8. The Complainants state that on 27thOctober 2021, Modong filed legal proceedings
against Mading. The latter prevented the police from investigating the matter, and
fabricated a criminal case against Modong, accusing her of an act of assault during
the investigation. This resulted in her being detained for ten (10) hours. Following
that, on 26th November 2021, Mading sent seven armed police officers from the local
police station together with several civilians to her compound. They forcefully
entered her compound and cut down all the trees, including fruit trees without
permission. Government estimates put the damage at SSP 3,637,133 (equivalent to
USD 10,000).
9. They further state that on 27thNovember 2021, Mading went to the military police
headquarters, returning with about 14 heavily armed soldiers in a Toyota pickup.
The soldiers closed the road adjacent to the Complainants', house. A bulldozer
demolished the concrete wall of Modong's house. The soldiers displaced her family
and warned that they would shoot and kill anyone who returned to the scene.
Mading immediately brought in a civil engineer and wot:~~f"s,al),?2J?~ganerecting a
new wall on the first Complainant's property. The damagttcissesseo by tlie Ministry
of Housing was estimated at SSP 4,002,404(equivalent to USD 11,000).
10. The Complainants aver that following the eviction of the Mod6ng family, the
soldiers remained in her property, and kept the road adjacent to theproperty closed
throughout the night, preventing people l!9m having access to the area.
(~~f.
11. They submit that on 29 November 2021, their representatives met with Major
General Keer Kiir, the officer commanding the soldiers who occupied her property,
asking him to withdraw his forces; but to no. avail. Also, Modong lodged a
complaint with the Northern Division of the police because the police in her area of
residence were the same perpetrators who cut down her trees and who intimidated
and unlawfully arrested her.
12. The Northern Division of the Police opened 'criminal case number 6105/2021 against
Mading and he was charged with the following offences: intimidation, which carries
a maximum sentence of 7 years' imprisonment; damage to property, which carries a
maximum sentence of l-year imprisonment; and trespassing, which carries a
maximum sentence of14 years' imprisonment. An arrest warrant was issued against
Mading, but tlle'n, the\~rrest could not be executed because he had the soldiers'
backing.
13. The Complainants allege that a Public Prosecutor, Attorney General Kur Aweral
Akol, ordered the withdrawal of the case, on the grounds that Mading already had a
civil matter with Modong's neighbours. The Complainants were shocked by that
decision and filed an appeal. Although the appeal was successful, the police refused
to pursue the case and the soldiers continued to intimidate the Modong family
members.