Futuyo accuses Eye Radio of defamation for misquoting U.S. statement

JUBA, JUNE 24, 2024 (SUDANS POST) – The governor of South Sudan’s Western Equatoria State Alfred Futuyo has denied involvement in the Tambura crisis, accusing Eye Radio of defamation for misquoting a statement from the U.S. Department of Treasury.

On Tuesday, the U.S. Treasury announced fresh sanctions against Governor Futuyo who is also a senior military commander of the opposition Sudan People’s Liberation Movement in Opposition (SPLM-IO) led by First Vice President Riek Machar.

In a statement, the U.S. Treasury said, “Between April and August 2018, forces under Futuyo’s command carried out numerous attacks in Western Equatoria that resulted in the abduction of 887 civilians, of which at least 43 were raped or gang raped.”

But in a story on Thursday Eye Radio said that “the United States government sanctioned the Governor of Western Equatoria State alongside an SSPDF general in connection with atrocities committed during the 2021 violence in Tambura County.”

Eye Radio’s mention of 2021 violence as a basis for sanctions against Futuyo angered the Western Equatoria State governor who said that the article ran by Eye Radio is misleading and meant to defame the governor.

“I would like to clarify to the public that this is misleading information and should be regarded as defamation against the Governor of Western Equatoria State H.E. Lt. Gen. Alfred Futuyo Karaba,” his press secretary Alex Daniel said.

“The statement issued by the US Department of the Treasury about Alfred Futuyo Karaba and the Press Release issued by the Governor’s Office Press Unit do not mention the Tambura crises of 2021,” the statement added.

“ …….. the sanction imposed on Governor of Western Equatoria State was for the claimed crimes committed Between April and August 2018 during the conflict between rebels and the government in the Republic of South Sudan and doesn’t have connection with the inter-communal conflict that occurred in Tambura in 2021.”

The statement further demanded the independent radio station “to clarify how and where they obtained such misleading information from and also demanding an apology to Western Equatoria State Governor Lt. Gen. Alfred Futuyo Karaba, because such a deceptive information is not expected.”