Wife of detained MP accuses Lake state authorities of kidnap

February 9, 2015 (RUMBEK) – The family of one of the detained Lakes state MPs has renewed calls for his release.

Marik Nanga Marik’s wife Teresa Nyanawan Ayom is calling on the central government and the state government to take steps to secure the immediate and unconditional release of her husband and his colleague, Isaac Makur Apac.

Ayom says she has had no contact with her husband since he was arrested in October last year.

Speaking to UN radio Miraya, she described the pair’s prolonged detention as kidnapping

I can say the governor, the government of South Sudan is kidnapping my husband because if I don’t know where my husband was put – it is a way of kipping – it is not a jail – if it is a jail they can bring him through to [the] police station,” she said.

“To me I don’t know, I run up and down and there is no solution … I want these two detainees to be brought back to justice. So let justice come up because the law is above the people. I want law to be above they people and I don’t want people to be above the law,” she said.

In a 11 December letter, Lakes state caretaker governor Maj-Gen Matur Chut Dhuol instructed the finance ministry to withhold salaries of the two lawmakers who also doubled as state ministers, with the state assembly speaker describing the directive as “an extra violation of the constitution”.

The reason for the MPs’ arrest remains unclear and they have not been charged with any offence.

Following their arrest more than 20 of the pair’s parliamentary colleagues walked from state parliament to Lakes state police station to demand their release.

Last week, Lakes state caretaker Governor Maj-Gen Matur Chut Dhuol denied ordering the arrest of Marik and Apac, who represent Rumbek North and Rumbek East respectively.

(ST)