Unity State’s Leer County Commissioner denies corruption claims
July 27, 2012 (LEER, Unity state) – Leer County Commissioner, Stephen Taker Riak Dong, last week dismissed allegations of corruption against his leadership, made by former commissioner, Franco Duoth Diu.
Dong told Sudan Tribune on Friday that “Diu is a great threat to the stability of Leer County”.
Dong denied the recent allegation that his government confiscated huge areas of land from people of Leer county to build a hotel. However, he failed to show relevant land documents to Sudan Tribune.
He said that his appointment was a decision made by the governor of Unity State Taban Deng Gai.
He accused the former commissioner of lacking faith in the ruling Sudan People’s Liberation Movement (SPLM) and rebelling against it after the April 2010 election grievances.
“I’m honest, respected, popular” asserted Dong.
The commissioner claims those who recently demonstrated in the state headquarters are relatives of the former commissioner, who will not succeed in disrupting the state’s affairs.
Diu told Sudan Tribune on Friday that demonstrators were not his relatives and that the state speaker, Simon Maguek Gai, had recommended Dong for the position for personal reasons.
In 2005 after the signing of the Comprehensive Peace Agreement, which ended the Sudanese civil war there was an interim period semi-autonomous government formed in Southern Sudan.
It was not until 2010, when the Sudanese general election took place, that people were elected according to their constituencies. The Unity State speaker has denied that he held a seat for the commissioner in the assembly, but claims that he was an official candidate in the 2010 election for the Guat constituency 23 in Leer county.
“How can I share my constituency seat with commissioner and I competed with 14 candidates in 2010 election with different political parties, including independent candidates in the state?”, Gai asked. He denied Diu’s claims.
He added that his appointment to the position of county commissioner came after a series of consultation meetings conducted in 2010 by the SPLM Liberation Council, County Local council, Leer County community through 16 paramount chiefs and Leer Member of parliament and Adok intellectuals.
“The following were recommended to be post-holders in the state government including the late John Buoth Puok for Minister, Mr. Kuong Thor Maker for advisor, Mr. Gabriel Doh Liah for independent commission and Stephen Taker Riak Dong for commissioner which was handed to Unity governor for recognition and endorsement as approved by the State legislative Assembly speaker Simon Maguek Gai”, explained Dong.
Diu was removed from his position because he was among those supporting groups led by George Athor and Gatluak Gai who were rebelling against the government.
(ST)