South Sudan denies detention of Kenyan, Australian
April 08, 2007 (NAIROBI) — The government of southern Sudan is denying that it is holding two Kenyans and an Australian who have been charged with murder in Rumbek, the Kenyan NTV said today.
Juba claims the suspects, who are employees of a local firm, Trucks International, are only under house arrest at the company’s compound in Rumbek.
The two Kenyans, an Australian and three Sudanese nationals, all employees of Kenyan construction firm, Trucks International. They are on trial for the murder of Ukrainian national. Bernard Alumasa, a Kenyan, John Munyao, a Kenyan, George Forbes, Australian, Joseph Dat, Sudanese, Isaac Chol, Sudanese, and Mater Maher, a Sudanese national. All are accused of murdering Mikolas Rebenikov on 7 March 2007.
The six have claimed they are being held under appalling conditions in a southern Sudanese prison but now the government in Juba says the six have been handed over to their employers as investigations continue.
The government says the six have not been formally arrested but are assisting authorities with investigations.
A Post-mortem report, according the company which is involved, which hired these people, was done here in Kenya and according to them the family also are content that this person committed suicide. So the post-mortem report and all these things will be submitted before the judge, the judge will look his verdict. “As I speak to you now that decision has not been made yet.” a Sudanese official told the NTV.
“But herein lies the contradiction. The trial is said to have begun. Could it be the government is going ahead with the trial before investigations are through. The Rumbek six also claim they have denied adequate medical attention. A charge the Sudanese government denies.”
(NTV)