Former Western Equatoria governor Joseph Bangasi Bakosoro remains in the detention of South Sudan’s National Security Services without any contact to his family or a lawyer, a relative said.
The governor, who was removed from his elected position by Salva Kiir in August, was summoned by NSS on Monday and has been held in their Jebel headquarters since Tuesday afternoon, according to a relative.
The family member said Thursday they have not been allowed to contact him by phone or in person, and the NSS has not declared any charges against him or given him access to a lawyer.
“We are not told the reason why he is there up to this time,” the family member said. “We are trying to find how they can allow one of the familiy memebrs to visit him. None of us has been given a chance to talk to him or visit him even.”
“We don’t have any direct contact with him through the phone or physically. We are not allowed,” the relative said.
According to South Sudanese law a person cannot be detained for more than 24 hours without charge.
Related:
Ex-Western Equatoria governor Bakosoro arrested (23 Dec.)