Activist Yakani welcomes release of ex-Northern Bahr el Ghazal state governor

JUBA – Prominent South Sudan activist Edmund Yakani has welcomed the Friday release of activist and former governor of Northern Bahr el Ghazal state Kuel Aguer from detention more than two years after he was taken behind bars by the national security service who accused him of working to remove the government of President Salva Kiir.

Aguer was arrested by members of National Security Service (NSS) in August 2021 after he and four other prominent activists and government critics formed the People’s Coalition for Civil Action (PCC) with the aim of removing President Kiir, who has been the leader of the country since 2005, from power for failure to bring peace.

A high court in South Sudan’s capital Juba on Friday released Aguer for lack of evidence and in a statement extended to Sudans Post this evening, the Community Empowerment for Progress Organization (CEPO) welcomed the release and thanked the high court for taking the decision to affect the rule of law.

“Community Empowerment for Progress Organization would like to congratulate the special high curt leadership in Juba for demonstrating sense of independence and right application of the law.  This is remarkable decision from the court,” CEPO said in the statement signed by its Executive Director Edmund Yakani.

“At least the special high court have demonstrated professionalism in handling the cases of the free six detainees after their long detention for allegedly being accuse having conflict with the law. The special high court in Juba exercise all required legal due process and end up proofing no evidences against the six accused individuals.

“This is good beginning in our judiciary reform toward exercising the independence of the judiciary. Application of rule of law is require in South Sudan for nurturing respect of human rights, promotion of social cohesion, democratic rule, peace and security,” he added.

The prominent activist said that “Administration of public affairs associated with issues of individual and group of persons in conflict with law is normal better to be handle in legal due process than taking arbitrary acts that undermines the existing laws of the country. Abuse of public office powers for undermining rule of law are potential triggers of societal violence.”

“The state of South Sudan that we all aspire to have, is a state where individual or groups of persons with public office powers should get to be discipline and remember that constitutional they are not above the law. They are obligated by constitution to embrace rule of law where the principles of equal protection before the law and fair trial are exercise without any form of favor, fear or interference,” he stressed.

The statement further called on “the judiciary to take primary responsibility for exercise absolute independence for the other arms of the government. Judiciary is the center of national appetite for fostering the value of unity of purpose and ownership of the state and the nation.”