Juba court adjourns trial of political commentator over critical comments
April 26, 2012 (JUBA) – A Juba court on Thursday adjourned the hearing of the case in which a South Sudanese political commentator alleges he was ill-treated and wrongfully imprisoned by the nation’s police force.
James Solomon Okuk was allegedly arrested at gunpoint in October 2011] for writing articles critical of the leadership of South Sudan’s president, Salva Kiir.
The hearing was adjourned as a key member of the defence was absent.
Okuk was brought into police custody from the ministry of foreign affairs and international cooperation soon after his arrival at Juba airport from Brazil, where he was serving as a diplomat for the then united Sudan.
In accordance with a peace agreement which ended the Sudanese civil war in 2005, the South Sudanese people voted in a plebiscite in January 2011. They voted in favour of secession, resulting in South Sudan’s statehood to be declared on July 2011.
The court officials in Juba said the hearing had been adjourned in order for the authenticity of the claims to be further examined.
Okuk told Sudan Tribune on Thursday that he was detained in a “very dirty and unhealthy” cell in Juba for two days at the behest of the Counsel General of the Government of South Sudan where he was interrogated by a investigator from them ministry of justice on articles published online.
He explained that a file of articles critical of the government “associated to the style of my writing” were brought before him including South Sudan Paradox: Joyful Independence, Sorry Leadership.
Okuk denies allegations that he is a member of South Sudan’s opposition Sudan People’s Liberation Movement for Democratic (SPLM-DC). In questioning he was asked what his connection to the SPLM-DC leader, Lam Akol, was reminded that civil servants should “keep away from politics.”
He was released on bail on 2 November 2011 on the condition that his guarantor would would be liable for a 100,000 SSDG [US$37,500] fine if Okuk leaves Juba.
Noting that the court order he received on April 24 was written in classical Arabic, Okuk alleged that he had been “charged under crimes against the state as per criminal laws of former Southern Sudan, which was part of the Sudan”.
In November 2011 a Sudan Tribune journalist was arrested and detained without charge. He was accused of inflammatory writing and was ill-treated during detention.
(ST)