A man in Rumbek town has accused former Western Lakes governor, John Deng Mamer of grabbing his land at the Matar residential area through intimidation.
Makuer Mabor Mathiang, who filed a lawsuit against the former governor, told Radio Tamazuj on Monday that the grabbed land is situated near the president’s residence in Rumbek town.
“The former governor, John Deng Mamer came and grabbed my own land (Plot No. 25) at Hai Matar near the president’s house. He took my land and I feared he would arrest me, so I talked to Mamer through those close to him to leave my land and look for another plot somewhere in Rumbek town, but he refused to listen to them,” he said.
“When I heard that the former governor insisted he wanted to be a neighbor to the president, I stopped talking about it and waited for his relieve from power. I did not want to be arrested,” he added.
“But now that he is relieved, and I have summoned him to come and explain why he grabbed my land by force. He has been summoned and asked to stop construction on my plot, but he continues to violate court proceedings stopping him from doing so”.
The former governor declined to comment when contacted on the matter.
Meanwhile, the Western Lakes state high court judge, Mathiang Kuac said the former governor insulted him after he was summoned last week to answer a case involving land he allegedly grabbed at Hai Matar.
“I summoned him to appear before the state high court on 30th of May 2019 to answer most of the claims of land grabbing leveled against him by the complainant. He has the right to defend himself before the law,” said Mathiang.
For his part, Daniel Cithok Manguen, the acting deputy governor of Western Lakes state confirmed the incident in which the former governor is said to have attacked and insulted the judge.
“I heard from members of the Criminal Investigation Department (CID) that the former governor went to the state high court judge’s residence and they exchanged insults,” said Manguen.
Both the former governor and the complainant have hired defense lawyers to handle the land case.