Woman Sentenced to Six Years for Attempted Child Trafficking in Aweil

By Hou Akot Hou
A Woman named Awa Hussein has been sentenced to six years in prison for attempting to traffic two children last year through Wau after luring their mothers with promises of humanitarian assistance.
The incident occurred in Northern Bahr el Ghazal state.
The state police spokesperson, Madut Ngong Aleu, told Akol Yam FM in an exclusive interview on Tuesday that the verdict was delivered by Maper Court in Aweil Town. He said the woman admitted to conspiring with other individuals, whose identities she did not reveal, and was handed a six-year jail term along with heavy fines.
Ngong said the suspect will serve the sentence in full, with no compromise to the court’s decision.
“This woman suspect was arrested on 16 December 2025 and detained as investigations were ongoing. On 6 January, the court case was concluded and a verdict passed, sentencing her to six years in prison at Maper Court,” he stated.
He added that the court also imposed a fine of one million South Sudanese pounds, which, if unpaid, would be added to the sentence, extending it to seven years. In addition, the suspect was ordered to pay four million pounds in reparations to the children, while the cost of the complaint amounted to 700,000 SSP, bringing the total financial penalty to 4.7 million SSP.
Aleu explained that the case emerged after the woman approached the mothers of the children at Aweil market, convincing them to allow their children to travel for humanitarian support.
She reportedly instructed the mothers to return to the market with identity cards and photographs, then escaped with the children to Wau, where she was apprehended the following day.
He urged the public to refrain from accepting gifts or promises from unfamiliar individuals without understanding their intentions.
“Never accept anything at face value. What that woman did is a shameful act, and it is good that she is facing the consequences of her actions,” he warned.
Officials have cautioned residents to remain vigilant as crimes are on the rise, noting that child trafficking cases often involve fleeing to neighbouring countries where children are sold.
A similar incident occurred last year when a businesswoman, Achai Wiir, was accused of taking children to Uganda and faced related charges.