S. Sudan lawyer appeals for businessman John Agou’s release
February 8, 2018 (JUBA) – The lawyer representing jailed South Sudanese businessman, John Agou Wuoi has openly appealed to President Salva Kiir to pardon the latter, citing his poor health condition.
“John Agou was found having a lot of diseases, is now physically very weak and needs an urgent intervention,” told Eye Radio.
Agou is one of the 16 individuals who were accused of alleged corruption case in the Office of the President in 2015. He was arrested on 29 May, 2015 together with four Kenyan citizens who were employees of his company, Click Technologies Limited.
He was among 16 people sentenced to life imprisonment for their role in the loss of $14 million and 30 million South Sudan Pounds (SSP).
The four Kenyans and six South Sudanese, including Agou were due to be pardoned on 5 December 2017. However, on 6 December 2017, President Kiir issued a Republican Order No. 33 pardoning the four Kenyan citizens and four South Sudanese in whole.
Agou was, however, left out of the presidential pardon for unknown reasons, yet he and Yel Luol Koor, a former executive director in the office of the president were ordered by the Supreme Court to refund equal amounts of money to government, through civil proceedings.
Ring, citing medical reports, said Agou suffers from chronic atropia gastritis, peptic ulcers, dyslipidemia and Malory Weiss Syndrome.
His situation, he said, needs specialized treatment and management, unattainable from the prison facilities in South Sudan.
“We need an urgent intervention or step to be taken by the president according to the constitutional powers,” the lawyer said.
The Transitional Constitution of the Republic of South Sudan gives the president immense powers to pardon or a remit prison sentence. The South Sudanese leader, has in recent years, pardoned many, including political prisoners, dissidents and rebels.
(ST)