South Sudan: Traffic police in Payinjiar, Mayiandit and Leer counties in Unity state accused of demanding bribes from passing motorists

From SRS - Sudan Radio Service December 4, 2009:

(Bentiu, southern Sudan) –Traffic police in Payinjiar, Mayiandit and Leer counties in Unity state are being accused of demanding bribes from passing motorists.

An owner of a lorry that travels regularly on the Payinjiar - Leer road claims that local authorities are demanding a lot of money in all road blocks.

Our correspondent in Unity state, Mabor Puot, sent this the report…

[Mabor Puot]: “There is only one lorry that operates between Payinjiar and Leer. The owner of that lorry threatened to stop operating between those two counties because he has to pay too many bribes. There are four main road-blocks in Mayom payam in Payinjiar county. He pays 20 SDG to the traffic police every day. He is also paying some money to local authorities. The same thing also happens at county headquarters where he has to pay more money. There are complaints coming from travelers about the bus fares. When you are going from Leer to Panyjiar you pay 30 Sudanese pounds. And this is a lot but the owners say they are charging people that much because they are being bribed. When I asked Thak Keel, the police officer in Panyjiar headquarters about the accusations, he told me that it was the government’s business and none of my business.”

That was our correspondent Mabor Puot, in Bentiu.