15 Police Recruits Die Since March Due To Poor Sanitation And Hostile Environment

12 November 2010 – (Juba) – More than fifteen police recruits have died at Dr. John Garang Police Training Academy in Rejaf, the outskirts of Juba town since its formation in March 2010.

Speaking to the press in Rejaf on Thursday, the Director for Training at the academy, General Jackson Elia said that the deaths are caused by poor sanitation and hostile environment.

[Jackson Elia]: “Our problems here are the sanitation. So because of the hostile environment from six thousand students we remain with five thousand seven hundred students. Three hundred left the center because of the hostile environment and we lost about fifteen recruits. Three died because we had a natural catastrophe here, a strong storm and lightening struck the dormitory and killed three students and twelve died because of sanitation issues. So we lost about fifteen which is less than the expected number of training that we have to loss about twenty five percent from the number of recruits.”

Meanwhile, speaking at the same venue, the Inspector General of Police in the GOSS said that a team of criminal investigation officers from Uganda will train the police recruits on investigation of crime.

[Fred Yiga]: “Just this morning a team of thirty trainers are arriving from Uganda they are coming to Rejaf to be here for one month to impart skills in criminal investigation because when crime is committed crime must be investigated. So they are coming to give basic skill on crime investigation skills they will be here for thirty days.”

Most of the police recruits at the academy will also participate in ensuring peace is maintained before, during and after the 2011 self-determination referendum for southern Sudan.