The Western Equatoria State government over the weekend detained an advocate in connection with organizing a demonstration.
The state’s acting information minister, Makuku Daniel Joseph, told Radio Tamazuj that the arrest of Advocate Samuel Borote was decided by the state security council who want him to answer for organizing an illegal demonstration.
“Currently there is mobilization by the civil society coalition planning to hold nationwide demonstrations, as a result of that the National Security Service (NSS) got that information and reported to the state authorities,” Minister Makuku said. “They (NSS) called the initiator of the demonstrations, Samuel Borote who is an advocate, to the office and detained him for further investigation.”
He added: “The state security committee sat down and decided that the National Security has to continue investigating him and after filing his report then the security committee will sit down, identify the findings and release him.”
Minister Makuku dismissed reports that the advocate was detained by SPLA-IO forces saying he is in the custody of the National Security Service.
“So those who went to social media saying that SPLM-IO arrested Borote are wrong. He is now in the custody of National Security,” Makuku said. “We know very well that the leadership of Western Equatoria is for SPLM/A-IO and if the government is deciding Western Equatoria, it is as the government. Let us stop baseless allegation because SPLM- IO is a party to the agreement and is part of the government.”
Source: Radio Tamazuj