Juba- March 26, 2025. A military intelligence officer, Major Pasquale Chol Mading, assigned to Juba International Airport as a counterintelligence officer, is currently languishing in a military detention facility. His detention followed his interception and reporting of arms and ammunition being transported to Pibor.
One morning in mid-January, Maj. Chol detected a suspicious shipment in cartons and sacks on a private flight scheduled for Pibor.
Upon discovering that the baggage contained firearms and ammunition, he immediately arrested seven individuals associated with the illegal items.
“After noticing some suspicious activity and the nervousness of one passenger, Iritha Nganchou, 30, I alerted the airport security personnel to inspect his luggage closely,” Maj. Chol stated. “During the inspection, we found a total of 128 CQ bullets and 10 rounds for an AK47 in his baggage.”
Major Chol also uncovered a coordinated effort to transport the arms, which involved some military intelligence officers stationed at the airport. One of them, Captain Iketeng Thawan, used his Gogolthin Chartered plane to carry the weapons. Although he was initially arrested for questioning, he has since been released.
The seven individuals involved in the secret transportation of arms to the Greater Pibor Administrative Area, including a young woman named Sunday James, have all been released, while Major Pasquale Chol remains detained.
He now questions whether he made a mistake by intercepting the weapons and reporting them to his superiors, as he has ended up being treated as a criminal while those found with the weapons have been set free.
Maj. Chol says the senior officers of military intelligence are aware of the incident but have not intervened to address the matter or taken him to a military court to face charges.
Since his arrest, his family has faced numerous hardships, including his children being sent away from school, his rented home being closed, and his family being evicted for non-payment.
Maj. Chol is appealing for justice. He believes he was fulfilling his duty as a professional serviceman serving his country, but his actions have resulted in a disastrous outcome, leading to nearly two months of detention.
