Gov’t claims Abraham Chol used Church as tool for regime change  

JUBA – The government has accused self-proclaimed prophet, Abraham Chol Maketh, of using the Church to incite the public and the organized forces against the government of President Salva Kiir, claiming that the man of God violated section 66, 74, 7, 76, 201, and 202 of the South Sudan Penal Code Act of 2008.

General Prosecutor Majur Deng Alor said Chol had formed a group and exploiting 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,” he said.

“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 added.

For her part, Chol’s lawyer Yasmin Ahmed Khamis argued that her client has the right to freedom of expression as provided for in the transitional constitution’s article 24 and that preaching transfer of power in a peaceful manner is not a crime.

“We refuse to set a judicial precedent condemning freedom of peaceful expression,” she said to the court. This is according to their statement signed last year the question is, is preaching a peaceful transfer of power a crime?” she asked.

“The accused is free to exercise his constitutional right and the law stipulated in Article 24 of South Sudan constitution,” she added.

Abraham Chol was arranged in court on Wednesday and his next hearing is set for tomorrow.