South Sudan’s FVP’s office denies assaulting young lady

June 28, 2017 (JUBA) – The office of South Sudan’s First Vice President Taban Deng Gai on Wednesday dismissed media reports that its security guards assaulted a young lady in the country’s capital, Juba on Saturday.

Tinna Ariing Madut was reportedly dragged out of her car and beaten by the security guards who accused her of bad driving near Gai’s residence.

It all happened when Madut allegedly approached a check point at the First Vice President’s residence while driving a vehicle with full lights on.

Lam Chuol, the First Vice-President spokesperson, said their preliminary reports showed Madut was under influence of alcohol.

“According to the investigation, Tinna came around 3:00 am from a night club near the residence of the first vice president, so she was asked by the security to dim the lights but in the process when she was being asked, she became agitated because she was intoxicated,” Chuol said in a statement extended to Sudan Tribune.

He, however, claimed none of the guards at the check point beat up Madut.

According to Chuol, injuries inflicted on the lady resulted from an attempt to jump out of a car she drove at the time of the incident.

“Ms. Tinna is welcome to initiate legal proceeding in the courts of law against these said security personnel who, if found guilty, are not immune to facing the full extent of the law,” stressed the statement.

The First Vice-President’s office, however, renewed its commitment to continued cooperation with the media, but encouraged media houses to refrain from “tabloid type reporting” and instead continue to practice professionalism with independence.

(ST)