South Sudan VP wins court case against Khartoum-based newspaper
By James Gatdet Dak
January 16, 2009 (JUBA) — The Vice President of the Government of Southern Sudan (GoSS), Riek Machar Teny, has won a court case against a Khartoum-based newspaper.
The newspaper, which is known for its support to the National Congress Party, also published records of the alleged transaction entries in the bank account by the Vice President – which turned out to be fraudulent – to support the allegations.
The allegation came as a surprise to the citizens of Southern Sudan who received it with disbelief and wonder.
The newspaper in the same article also alleged that Mama Rebecca Nyandeng de Mabior, widow of the late leader Dr. John Garang de Mabior, and current Presidential Advisor on Human Rights in the semi-autonomous Government, had pocketed an amount of $14 million dollars and smuggled it to Nairobi.
It further alleged another discovery that the SPLA Chief of Staff, Lt. General Oyai Deng Ajak, had made away with $5 million dollars.
Many citizens in Juba immediately dismissed the allegations as politically motivated to target the individual officials while others took a wait-and-see attitude.
Following the publication of the allegation by the newspaper, GoSS President Salva Kiir Mayardit asked the officials alleged to have involved in the corruption to individually defend themselves to clear the accusations.
Machar decided to sue the newspaper in the court of law in Khartoum since last year and hired two lawyers to defend his case. The verdict was announced this week several months after the court deliberations.
In his briefing to the Council of Ministers on Friday, Machar said the court’s final verdict found the Al-Intibah newspaper guilty of defaming his image. He explained that the document the newspaper produced to prove his transaction of money in the alleged bank account turned out to be fraudulent.
Also during the court procedures, Managers of the Kenyan Commercial Bank were flown to Khartoum from Nairobi to testify in the court on the alleged bank account. The Bank Managers categorically denied any existence of the account in their financial institution and dismissed the alleged document as forgery.
In the forged bank account document a lot of wrong entries were detected that were not compatible with the banking procedures and transactions of the Kenyan Commercial Bank. These included wrong titles, names and even KCB working days.
The court ruled that the newspaper should refund the Vice President his court fee which amounted to 10,000 Sudanese pounds ($5,000).
However, the court failed to fine the newspaper with considerable compensation to the Vice President for defaming his image. According to the Minister of Information and Broadcasting, Gabriel Changson Chang, the newspaper was fined only 1,000 Sudanese pounds ($500).
“Because the Vice President did not lose his job over the accusation,” said Changson, the court argued it was not necessary to fine the newspaper a lot in compensation of the Vice President.
The cabinet condemned the defamatory action by the Al-Intibah newspaper and its negative attitude towards GoSS. It congratulated the Vice President for his courage to legally face the newspaper and for winning the court case.
The Council also encouraged others to use such legal means to resolve such prominent defamatory cases by the media.
It also noted with concern that some electronic media and Southern Sudan-based newspapers have involved in publishing and posting articles that tend to incite tribal hatred and defame individual officials.
Chang said the Government would soon enact press and media laws that would regulate the work of the media in the South.
(ST)
Khot Majok Tuil
South Sudan VP wins court case against Khartoum-based newspaper
Praise the name of your lord God Mr.Riak and watch out for your further step. remember there is no smok without fire, those detectors are follow your all foot-step and the right of the inocent citizens is flaming toward any greedy.
So not only Al-Intibah the Arabic language newspaper will cought you but, however there are many others here and there hence there will be a final day. if the most detected personel display their trapnet on you.
DO NOT SMILE……..
cam kë baai we yï Riëk ku në thaa dë ke raan abi liel taai
Deng Thiak Adut
South Sudan VP wins court case against Khartoum-based newspaper
I dont think the court ruled in the interest of justice. First, Riak has lost his reputation, in particular, his future leader in the South is critical on this point. Riak is a serious contender and the news paper made it even worse. Monetary compensation not enough… I believes, the News Paper should have been fine. Exemplary damages should be follow for malicious acts of this news paper. This is a slap on the face. Similar acts will follow in future. Riak should not smiles.
Amantiel Kem
South Sudan VP wins court case against Khartoum-based newspaper
Dear guys,
it is really ashamefull to us young generation of what is so called South Sudan to divide up ourselves to our leaders of South Sudan on tribal bases.
Brothers, if we want our natiom to grow peacefully and towards our desire democracy and developed Country;then let it be our task to challenge leader seems to be diverting our goal in such a way where we should not mention any tribe where he/she comes from. By doing so, we shall be able to encourage Unity which the south Sudanese are longing for.
am very sorry for your comments not only on this article but also on others where Equatorians criticise Government to be for Dinka and Nuer while Nuer does the same thing.
Why cann’t we the younger generation correct that atitude and we concentrate on correcting that particular leader one might have seen messing things up.
am womdering whether such people who posed such comments might have ever gone to school to learn how to read and write.if at all they might have, then what they should have done in the place is to learn more about the composure of the government of South Sudan before they talk.
Secondly they should have questoned themselves why other civilized nations don’t talk about tribalism?
if i were one of those who were praising Dr.Riek on his approach towards his case and in any case am from Upper Nile specially his real uncle or Cousin,i wouldn,t call him Uncle or cousin b,se that title itself indicates that am triblistic.
Let’s try to address our leaders as leaders of South Sudan in such link like this one rather than calling them in term of our blood reltionship which dangerous to our nation if one who considers himself as an intelectual does such.
amet amok
South Sudan VP wins court case against Khartoum-based newspaper
Mr Gatwech,
Fill happy with VP,What i know is that Newspaper Al-intebah will not say something that had no source.in reality the court can not prove Riek to be guilty because he is already a khartoum friend whom they can’t spoil his image.the present of vp in the government of southern sudan had given a chance khartoum not accepting GOSS as an emerging government.think deeper about the vp,there is no tribulation ahead then the one we persevered,in the mean we welcome him back what (kuoth)God say’ The principle of forgiveness’if he is the one who will delivered democracy to the sudanese people, tell him he is awaiting court that would not judge like what khartoum court’s did.
Ichok Malou
South Sudan VP wins court case against Khartoum-based newspaper
Dear brother Gatwech,
There is one thing that always disturbing me from my Brother whose comments are praising Riek as clever,smart,educated and competent but blaming Kir as dul,tribalistic and incompetent.
If you are politically commenting about anything, try to use appropriate words, for example you can say South Sudan government cannot do anything for its people unless there is new strategy.
When you talk about Kir as a tribalistic leader what about in Unity State where dinkas are not proportinally represent in your State and to prove that Taban the governor himself accused Riek of being behind that disproportional representation of Dinkas in the government.How would you call that?,marginalization or a pretence to tell other South Sudanese that dinkas are not smart ass talkative who don’t even claim their rights.What I personally belive is that Dinkas are the neclus of that struggle of South Sudanese liberation since the interception of North Sudanese marginalization .
When the movement started in 1983 we were keen and enthusiastic to fight the barbaric regime. In nine years later we had defections and rebllions while there was no even a government to rebel against. Dr Rik and Dr Lam formed South Sudan defent forces which embarrassed them and called the political movement as South Sudan Independent.Who were they defending and from who?,if these two Doctors were driven by their myopic followers like Gatwech then they will rule South Sudan and if they were encouraged and driven by their own wrong calculated ambitions then the possibility of doing it again are realy high people should be vigilant untill we are out in 2011.
Who among African leaders can be found guilty of corruption and proven while the system of good governace is verbally preach to poor inocent population though Riek proven not guilty it will appear like submarine under the water.I don’t personally mind if Riek is not guilty so longer as he is the vice president of Kir within the same party and following the constitution at the end of the days they all corrupts or not corrupts full stop.Don’t even tell me he is the vice he cann’t steal money that is a huge lie.Riek and Paulino Matip have oil company where Matip’s son is the chairman of the company which will explore oil in Unity State this the real corruption the whole country is now developing with money of that oil. It means to me that Gatwech can one day say unity stats is an independent country. The idelology itself has to changed in the whole continent where leaders make fun of their people we the people who are represented by so call politicians need idealism to stop people being deprived.
tayeb M. Alhassan
South Sudan VP wins court case against Khartoum-based newspaper
I bet if Dr. Rieck Machar with regard to his qualifications if commits himself to be little politely active, Sudan wide, he will have the luck and public choice to be our next president regardless of this proved to be not guilty verdict.
lotueng Junub
South Sudan VP wins court case against Khartoum-based newspaper
With money everything is possible in Kenya, who knowns the amount Mr.vice president has poured into briefing kenyan Commercial bank officials in return to wins the case like the verdict which has been passed now leballing him free man in corruption.Dr. Riek feel not happy inside you if you know you have inflence over the court verdict for God will trace the truth and tells the Sudanese people the only truth surrounding your case.
Lotueng Junub has been and still a strong supporter of Dr.Riek but have seen something fishy in this court rulling.
Deng Magot Riem
South Sudan VP wins court case against Khartoum-based newspaper
To Gatwech And any one concern,
Dear Gatwech,
This is nonesene and a waste of time. You guys have nothing to do or talk of. You should know one thing, saying good or bad things about some one or a community wuoldn’t change the facts nor will it cleans the records. This is important if you guys put that into consideration before attempting a move. History remained what it was,what it is and whatit will be. Let’s not defend people because they are related to us. Leave the defence to indivduals involved in whatever case.
I would also like remind you here guys, nobody in Bor has anything against Nuer as a community. If there such, it should be against Riek. I don’t mind saying that and there are people who can agree with me on this point.