Lawyer demands police, Juba City Council summon hotel, nightclub owners over underage entry

A South Sudanese attorney, Josephine Adhet Deng, is urging local authorities to take action against Juba-based entertainment venues that permit minors to enter their premises. The call follows the emergence of online videos depicting children, estimated to be between 11 and 15 years old, inside various nightclubs. Under a government decree established last year, individuals under the age of 18 are strictly prohibited from entering such establishments. Beyond the illegal entry, the lawyer criticized venues for filming these minors and sharing the content on social media to boost their online visibility. She is now calling on the police and the Juba City Council to summon business owners to ensure they commit to enforcing age verification protocols. While no formal criminal charges have been filed, the initiative aims to compel operators to prioritize the protection of children and adhere to existing legal mandates.

The situation highlights a significant lapse in the enforcement of child protection laws and raises ethical concerns regarding the exploitation of minors for commercial social media marketing.