§ Lieut.-Colonel JAMESasked the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs whether the promised inquiry into the case of the alleged flogging of a boy in the Southern Sudan has yet been held; and, if so, whether he will state the result?
§ Mr. R. McNEILLYes, Sir. The youth in question had been convicted of theft from shops in Rejaf on four previous occasions during the preceding 12 months and had been award 3, 5, 7 and 10 strokes respectively with a cane by the British District Commissioner. When the culprit was caught perpetrating a fifth theft, the Egyptian mamour, in the absence of the District Commissioner, who alone could award a sentence of whipping, decided in order to get the boy away from Rejaf to hand him over to the head man of his village who was, at the time, sitting on a Chief's court. In order to prevent the culprit's escape the mamour ordered him to be fastened to the flagstaff where he was under the eye of the sentry and where he remained from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m., until the head man was able to take him away. The boy was not beaten, and the responsibility of the mamour began and ended with this order which in the circumstances was fully justified.