BREAKING | Abraham Chol released from detention

JUBA, MARCH 29, 2023 (SUDANS POST) – South Sudan’s controversial religious leader Prophet Abraham Chol Maketh who has been under National Security Service (NSS) detention for nearly two years has been released, his Church said in a statement.

“Good evening Cushites this is to inform you that our Divine Father King Abraham Cush has been released today,” the brief statement extended to Sudans Post by Cush Vision International reads in part.

Chol was arrested in July 2021 after stating in one of his prophesies that President Salva Kiir Mayardit and First Vice President Dr. Riek Machar, would no longer be in the helm by the time when the country commemorates its 10th independence anniversary on 9th July 2021.

After having been detained for more than a year, the government last year charged Abraham Chol of violating section 66, 74, 7, 76, 201, and 202 of the South Sudan penal code, claiming that the Chol is using the church to incite the public and organized forces against the government.

General Prosecutor Majur Deng Alor said at the time that Prophet Chol had formed a group and exploited the Church for political purposes.

“The defendants forming an illegitimate body under the umbrella of a church and exploiting the church for political purposes to undermine the constitutional order in the country through illegal means. You also prepare them as a background for the regime, as well as inviting the citizens and the regular forces to come out against the government,” he told a court at the time.

For his part, Prophet Chol’s lawyer, Yasmin Ahmed Khamis, dismissed the government claims and said the accused has a right to freedom of expression as provided for in article 24 of South Sudan’s transitional constitution and that preaching transfer of power in a peaceful manner is not a crime.

In January, Chol was sentenced to more than two and half years in jail by a special court in the country’s capital Juba after having been found guilty of “insulting” President Slava Kiir Mayardit.

According to Judge Samia Mohamed of the Special Court in Juba, Abraham Chol is accused of violating sections 72 and 202 of the South Sudan Penal Code Act of 2008 and sentenced Chol to 31 months in jail beginning from the day he was arrested.