Murder victim’s family angered at suspect’s reinstatement
December 3, 2013 (JUBA) – The family of late engineer John Louis Silvano has protested over the recent reinstatement of Major General Marial Nour Jok into the police service, saying the latter is the prime suspect in the murder of their son.
Gen Marial was accused of allegedly responsible for the disappearance of John Louis after the two had an argument over ownership of a plot of land.
The victim disappeared since 2011 after he was reportedly summoned to the then office of the Gen Marial who was by then the Director of Public Security and Criminal Investigation Department (CID) in the national ministry of interior.
The victim disappeared on 25 March 2011 together with his Toyota RAV4 car bearing plate number CE 894L.
Before his demise Louis was working as an architect in the national ministry of housing and physical planning.
Media reports were also published about allegations that Gen Marial was involved in torturing prisoners in police jails, bribery and creation of secret and illegal detention centres.
As a result he was then suspended and detained by the former Inspector General of Police, General Acuil Tito Madut who brought the above charges against him.
However, Gen Marial was later on released months after his arrest under unclear circumstances without a court hearing for the charges.
He was recently reinstated into the active police service with his rank as Major General by the president Salva Kiir in his republican decree NO. 96.
However, in a statement published by the Juba Monitor on Tuesday, the father of the deceased, Louis Silvano Tukan, said they were shocked to learn that the suspect was set free and reinstated into the police service instead of facing law.
Tukan protested to president Kiir to revoke the reinstatement of Gen Marial so that he should first appear before a court of law, questioning whether justice prevails in the new country.
“We want to ask the people of South Sudan and the rest of the world that is there justice, rule of law, equality and accountability for all citizens of this new nation?” he lamented.
He further added that the news about the reinstatement of the suspect has renewed mourning in the family, saying they are also fearing for their lives.
“Or does the presidential decree mean to reinstate him such that he can now organise for another dead squad to eliminate me the father and members of John’s family such that the whole case is finally brought to an end”, further reads the statement.
(ST)