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JUBA - 30 Mar 2015

Impeached speaker petitions Supreme Court against WBG governor

The impeached speaker of South Sudan's Western Bahr al Ghazal state assembly Andrea Mayar submitted a petition to the  Supreme Court against Governor Rizig Hassan Zachariah on Monday.

Mayar accused Rizig of abusing the state constitution by interfering with parliamentary affairs.

“We are here to table our petition to the Supreme Court in regards to the violation of the state constitution by the Governor of Western Bahr al Ghazal," Mayar said at the court's premises in Juba.

Mayar accused Rizig of calling MPs to his office and home to collect signatures to impeach him that were presented in an extraordinary sitting that did not meet quorum.

He said the governor dismissed members without consulting the speaker, and dismissed the chief whip in order to elect another person.

Mayar also accused Rizig of reinstating the state minister of finance after a majority of MPs had impeached that minister.

The impeached speaker said he believed the Supreme Court will fairly hear their case.

“I do believe that the reasons which made me to travel up to Juba were because we believed that the court is an independent institution. Whether you are in position of power or ordinary citizens the court will listen to us and our case will be passing through," he said.

The court will table the case in the coming days.

Radio Tamazuj Photo: Impeached speaker of Western Bahr al Ghazal state assembly Andrea Mayar speaking at the Supreme Court in Juba