South Sudan’s council of ministers in its meeting on Friday applauded the justice minister for progress in investigating the 11 political detainees and urged him to expedite the process.
The detained politicians are mostly former ministers and one former deputy minister of defense. All are prominent members of the ruling party, SPLM
Opposition leader Riek Machar made the release of the detainees a precondition for signing a ceasefire agreement with the government. His negotiators called their release the “main issue” blocking the ceasefire after a month of fighting.
Government spokesperson Michael Makuei Lueth told journalists in Juba that Justice Paulino Wanawilla reported progress in the investigation of the political detainees.
He added that evidence would be brought to prove the status of the detainees before making it public.
Makuei said there was no time limit set for the investigation process. The spokesperson also said there was high probability of signing cessation of hostilities soon.
Reporting by Sudan Catholic Radio Network
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