Aweil police arrest man for sodomy

Police in Aweil West County of Northern Bahr-el-Ghazal State last week arrested a man who is accused of forcefully sodomizing a 16-year-old boy.

Chan Deng Atak, a 33-year-old man, was arrested last Monday after he was accused of raping Ngong Garang, a 16- year-old boy, in Chelkou Payam of Aweil West County, authorities said.

Deng Mathon Akot, police inspector in Aweil West County said, “Yes, we have arrested this person and we opened the case against him, he is called Chan Deng Atak, his age is 33-year-old what he did was that he raped the boy in the Payam called Chelkou. We arrested him on 18th this month.’’

Aweil West County Executive Director, John Garang Aguot, also confirmed the arrest, saying the act happened when some people went for a marriage function that took place in the Chelkou area.

“Yes, this happened, people were going to a wedding. Of course, our culture here is if a girl has eloped, people go and collect the cows and after people went there, this person slept with a small boy of sixteen years old. He was arrested and is now at the prison,’’ John Garang said.

Ayom Wek Akol, the paramount chief of the Dinka Ajak community, condemned the incident and called for the protection of Dinka customs from harmful practices.

“I am saying this activity is not acceptable in our Dinka Culture. This once happened to somebody before the peace and that person ran to the north. It is very strange indeed! My message to the Dinka community is that such things must not be brought to us and these things are not in our customs," Ayom said.