Family call on South Sudan President to release James Dak
July 10, 2018 (JUBA) – James Gatdet Dak’s family, the imprisoned-spokesperson SPLM-IO’s leader denied his release and called on President Salva Kiir to free him in line with the recent security arrangement reached in Khartoum.
“The family of James Gatdet Dak do hereby informing the public to disregard the ‘fake news’ being circulated on social medias about “James being released,” said Paul Tesloach Dak, James’s younger brother in statements extended to Sudan Tribune.
We as a family together with you wished this day to arrived but not this one being circulated on media. Shall that day comes we all will know it!
In November 2016, the Kenyan government in collaboration deported James Dak to Juba, after statements welcoming Secretary-GeneralSecretary General, Ban Ki-Moon to replace UNMISS force Commander Lt. Gen. Johnson Mogoa Kimani who himself is a Kenyan national.
The removal of the Kenyan general was decided after an UN investigation revealing that UNMISS has failed due to poor command to protect civilians and foreign aid workers in Juba and Malakal cities.
Paul who is based in Canada further called on President Kiir to honour his commitment taken in Khartoum Declaration of Agreement of 27 June and the Security Agreements agreement signed on 6 July and free his brother and the other political detainees.
“We absolutely wished the president Kiir to bless the peace accord signed in Khartoum by not only releasing James Gatdet Dak but all political detainees as a good gesture of Hope for all South Sudanese to believe this is a meaningful document,” said Paul.
In February 2018 James Dak was sentenced to death by hanging. The South Sudanese court on charges of treason and incitement against the government.
President Salva Kiir in a meeting held on Saturday with Presidents Yoweri Museveni and Omer al-Bashir agreed to appoint Riek Machar as Frist Vice President during the transitional period, a measure that he had been refusing since the bloody clashes of Jul 2016 in Juba.
(ST)