Sudan Tribune journalist to face trial August 26
August 20, 2009 (JUBA) – Sudan Tribune’s correspondent Isaac Vuni, who has been arrested and released three times in recent months, will face a court hearing on August 26. He is being sued by a former bank employee.
Vuni was detained for reporting on circumstances surrounding the deteriorating financial condition of the beleaguered Nile Commercial Bank (NCB), the first bank established in South Sudan after the 2005 peace agreement.
In a report published in the Sudan Tribune on April 23, 2009, Vuni cited the branch manger in Juba, Martha Michya, as blaming senior government officials for borrowing huge amounts of money and failing to repay. Michya substantiated her allegation by giving Vuni a photocopied list of names of government officials who took large loans. Among those who took loans was Speaker of the South Sudan Legislative Assembly James Wani Igga.
Michya was subsequently suspended and in a later interview with Sudan Radio Service she rescinded the allegations attributed to her and blamed her suspension on Sudan Tribune’s allegedly false report.
In the next month, the Governor of the Bank of South Sudan and Deputy Governor of the Central Bank of Sudan, Elijah Malok Aleng, made a public ultimatum to defaulters to repay improperly issued loans or else face disclosure of their names to the media. He stated in an advert in the Citizen newspaper, “It’s worth noting that the possible miserable financial collapse and failure of the NCB… is highly attributable to the defaulters who took the loans from it and failed to pay back at the most ideal and valuable period of need of NCB.”
Vuni’s latest legal trouble was marked by his arrest in late July. On August 3, a Juba court directed for his released without bail. Vuni credits the UN Mission in Sudan (UNMIS) for intervening for his release.
On August 19, Vuni appeared before court at noon. A number of bank employees were present. The hearing was adjourned for August 26 at noon.
“I am convinced that some top Assembly officials together with senior staff in the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting headquarters… conspired for my being jailed or assassination because they regard me as a threat towards their looting of public funds and properties,” said Vuni.
Sudan Tribune calls for any legal proceedings to be fair, transparent and open to the press.
(ST)
Moses Kur Akech
Sudan Tribune journalist to face trial August 26
Freedom of press is fundamental to democratic functions or transformation.
Everyone shall have the right to hold opinions without interference.
Everyone shall have the right to freedom of expression; this right shall include freedom to seek, receive and impart information and ideas of all kinds, regardless of frontiers, either orally, in writing or in print, in the form of art, or through any other media of his choice
Public is democratically entitled to know what is happening in the shadowy corners of the political, economic and social realms and the very servants who can bring those happenings to openness are journalists. However, the only event where journalist can be subjected to rule of law is where there has been any breach of journalistic code of ethics. Other than that they should not be restrained or intimidated just because they have uncovered the truth in which the public is entitled to know.
If that is the whole case then South is on the reverse gear. Any impartial court of law would dismiss this allegation right away. Dont give up Vuni keep fight and you’ll make your way out.
Oduck Bol
Sudan Tribune journalist to face trial August 26
What typ of systm you have? You already said that James Wani is one of the people who borrowed money from bank and at the same time you said you will disclosure the names of people who failed to pay money back in a month. I think you would have not brought the name of James Wani in pubic or media and still warning other. You would have disclosure all names or warn all of them. Water always needs low surface of the earth to run.
Oduck Bol
J.James
Sudan Tribune journalist to face trial August 26
Mr. Vuni
Please don’t backdown to let those corrupt dogs to continue their filthy habits. Stand firm and anyone who kill you will follow you in few days because southerners are not playing this time around.
James Wani Igga is a coward dog who love to steal while talking rabbish in the parliament about corruption, but the good thing is that his name appeared at the top.
Please stand firm and I encourage Mr. Elija Malok to spare no any insect regarding this case. Everybody from James Wani all the way to the bottom must face harsh trial for others to see and learn from it as an example.
God bless.
Mr Network
Sudan Tribune journalist to face trial August 26
A Shame on the Assembly,
Why are encourageing alot of corruption and you are discussing every day of wrong doing in that fakage hall
oshay
Sudan Tribune journalist to face trial August 26
Funny how the SPLM chooses to punish the messenger not the criminal.
Angelo D.
Sudan Tribune journalist to face trial August 26
Why government of southern Sudan keep sing, we are fighting corruption in the south and they are very one that are looting the public funds and stick their eyes on the journalist who will air the news out to the public. Corruption is the enemy of development, if you government of southern Sudan official don’t know that. By looting the public funds and forget to delivery service to the marginalized people of south Sudan, what creditability are you officials building in the south that will make us support you people.
We southern Sudanese people need this ministries who are looting our funds to be suck from their post and replace with the honesty one who will delivery service to the people on the grassroots. We are sick with this sleeping ministries who don’t know their working ethics, accept looting public funds in this Goss administration.
By, Angelo D.
Samson Shawel Ambaye
Sudan Tribune journalist to face trial August 26
Fire fly trapped Bashir in 21st century journalists have freedom of free press. You can’t arrest Isaac. Release him with out trial.