Family of jailed Aweil activist renew calls for pardon

Activist Samuel Garang Dut at detention cells at Aweil high court headquarters, awaiting referral to Aweil Central Prison on 28th June 2021. [Photo: Radio Tamazuj]

The wife of activist Samuel Garang Dut in Aweil, Northern Bahr el Ghazal State on Wednesday renewed calls for his release saying they are suffering since he was jailed in June.

The wife of activist Samuel Garang Dut in Aweil, Northern Bahr el Ghazal State on Wednesday renewed calls for his release saying they are suffering since he was jailed in June. 

Garang was found guilty by the high court in Aweil town and was handed an eight-month sentence and ordered to pay a sum of SSP 2 million as compensation to the state governor Tong Akeen Ngor in a defamation case. 

Speaking to Radio Tamazuj on Wednesday, Veronica Achol, the spouse to Garang appealed to the state governor to pardon her husband who was their sole breadwinner. 

“What I would like to say now is this, I am left with small children who lack something to eat, and they are also sent out of school for lack of school fees. I am begging governor Tong Akeen Ngor to forgive Samuel Garang Dut’s mistakes," she pleaded. 

Garang was dragged to court on defamation charges by Governor Tong Akeen Ngor in April after his Facebook post accused and criticized Governor Akeen for constructing a private house in the Hai Referendum residential area of Juba using pilfered public funds.