By Matik Kueth
The South Sudan People’s Defence Forces (SSPDF) has cleared Lt. Gen. Gregory Ben Kwat, Undersecretary at the Ministry of Defence and Veterans Affairs, of involvement in a land dispute that led to a shooting incident in Tongpiny, near Juba International Airport, on September 4th and 5th, 2026.
The findings were announced on Thursday at a press conference by SSPDF spokesperson Maj. Gen. Lul Ruai Koang, who said a four-member investigative committee had found no evidence linking the senior military official to the dispute.
The investigation followed allegations circulating on social media that implicated Ben Kwat in an alleged land-grabbing dispute.
According to Koang, the committee began its investigation on September 7th at the SSPDF General Headquarters in Bilpam, Juba.
Investigators interviewed the parties to the dispute, court officials and security personnel involved in enforcing a court order.
“The incident was a pure land dispute between two individuals,” Koang said while presenting the committee’s findings.
The report stated that the dispute arose from a court injunction sought by the family of the late Abune Hiseri Basha against Mary Nyanokoi, one of the parties involved.
The shooting occurred after relatives and family members of the defendant allegedly obstructed the enforcement of a lawful court order intended to facilitate the demolition of a structure under construction on the disputed land, according to the committee.
The individuals identified in connection with the dispute included Maj. Gen. Simon Majak of the Wildlife Service and Second Lieutenant Mary Nyanokoi of the South Sudan National Police Service.
Koang noted that testimonies gathered from the parties, court officials and security personnel indicated that Kwat had no connection to the dispute, either in his official capacity or as a private citizen.
“The plaintiff, defendant, court officials, and the head of the law enforcement forces unanimously stated that Hon. Lt. Gen. Gregory Ben Kwat was not in any way involved in the land dispute,” he stated.
The spokesperson also rejected the allegations against the undersecretary, arguing that they were intended to damage his reputation.
“The undersecretary’s reputable personality was intentionally and maliciously tarnished to settle deeply rooted personal hatred and for foreseeable political gains,” he stressed.
The committee underlined that it had compiled written findings and recorded testimonies from the stakeholders it interviewed during the investigation.
The incident has renewed attention on land disputes in Juba and the challenges surrounding the enforcement of court orders, particularly when confrontations involve civilians and security personnel.
The committee’s findings clear Ben Kwat of the allegations investigated by the SSPDF, while the circumstances surrounding the shooting highlight the potential for land-related disputes to escalate during attempts to enforce judicial decisions.