Governor Tong Akeen detains police officer for ‘not doing anything’ comments

JUBA – The governor of South Sudan’s Northern Bahr el Ghazal state Tong Akeen Ngor has reportedly ordered the arrest of a police officer for uttering comments against his leadership in which the police officer said the governor was doing nothing to help amid the ongoing economic crisis in the state.

State police spokesman Captain Guot Guot Akol of Northern Bahr el Ghazal police said police officer Alou Abik Abik was arrested for involvement in political affairs of the state despite being a member of the organized forces.

“The arrest is linked with his involvement in politics. Until now I have not asked him directly about it but he is a policeman and is attached to the Criminal Investigations Department. The investigators will come out with enough clear information,’’ Capt. Akol said, according to Radio Tamazuj.

For his part, a critic of the Northern Bahr el Ghazal governor identified as Bona Bak Apeny, said the police officer was detained merely because he criticized the governor for not delivering services to the people and also revealed that the detained officer is a member of the SPLM Youth League in the state.

“Alou Abik has been arrested on the orders of the state governor. The governor is complaining that Alou criticizes his government while he (Alou) is a policeman but in actual sense, he is a policeman but also a member of the state SPLM youth league. He criticizes the governor on social media and public places, saying that the governor is not doing anything in the state,’’ Apeny said.

A sister-in-law of the detained police officer who preferred anonymity said the former had not committed any crime and was arrested by his bosses on instructions of Governor Tong Akeen.

“I heard from him (Alou) that his senior officers or their commissioner ordered him to enter the jail due to the orders from the governor. I visited him this morning and no investigations were carried out and until now we don’t understand what is going on,” she said.

It is not the first time that the governor has ordered the arrest of critics. Radio Tamazuj reported recently that Tong Akeen ordered the arrested of social activist Samuel Garang and later sued him for defamation.

A court in Aweil town on 28 June found the activist guilty and sentenced him to eight months in jail and ordered him to pay compensation of 2 million SSP.