The former speaker of Western Lakes State legislative assembly, Marik Nanga Marik was on Thursday freed after spending more than a month in detention.
“I was released yesterday [Thursday] from prison in Alor County at about 7:30 pm and spent the night travelling from Alor to Rumbek. I slept in the house of the commissioner and in the morning, I managed to arrive from Maper [County] to Rumbek at 1:00 pm,” Marik told Radio Tamazuj from his residence in Rumbek.
The former parliament speaker had been in detention ever since he was arrested by national security agents in Rumbek town last month.
While in prison, Marik said he was investigated by the director of national security service, but found to have committed no crime.
“Upon my arrival, the director of national security service in Western Lakes State took me to his office for investigation, but there was nothing found against me. I am innocent and now free to move anywhere I want around Rumbek or Juba,” he explained.
Marik could not explain why the state governor ordered for his arrest.
The ex-speaker said he and the National Minister for East African Affairs, Paul Mayom Akec, were among the team that came from Juba to receive President Salva Kiir during a tour of the Greater Bahr el Ghazal states.
“When we arrived at Rumbek airport, we proceeded to the governor’s office for a briefing and the governor started bashing all of us. He immediately singled me out and ordered my arrest. I was taken to the national security office where I spent six days before my transfer to Maper of Rumbek North County,” narrated Marik.
Meanwhile, the former speaker vowed to lodge a complaint against the governor through the ruling party’s general secretariat.
“I will write a complaint to the SPLM national secretariat’s office to ask as to why I am being mistreated in such a manner and why people have been interfering with my personal dignity and liberty. From there, I will take other steps if I get a response,” he explained.
Marik said his arrest and detention has since disorganized his family.
He lauded President Kiir for ordering his immediate release from prison.
“I would like to thank the president for ordering my release. I did Palm Sunday in prison before my release, but I will now, as a Catholic, celebrate Easter day with my family,” stressed Marik.
The former MP has on several occasions been arrested in greater Lakes region.