The police in Unity State’s Leer County have confirmed that they apprehended Gatmai Kuony Latjor, the youth leader in the county, over the weekend for allegedly insulting the county’s acting commissioner who is the area’s substantive executive director.
According to local sources, the youth leader and several other people at large demanded the removal of Acting Commissioner Taker Riak Dong and shared it on social media platforms and messaging applications like WhatsApp.
The county’s director of police, Kuony Chang, confirmed to Radio Tamazuj that they indeed arrested Kuany on Friday on the orders of the acting commissioner who claimed the youth leader abused him and attacked his personality but he denied that he was detained for calling for the removal of the official.
“Yes, I am aware of the arrest of the youth leader because the county’s leadership complained that Gatmai Kuony Latjor, the youth leader, insulted and attacked the personality of the acting commissioner of Leer County and demanded that he be arrested,” he explained. “The youth leader is in detention for an investigation to find out why he has attacked the personality of the acting commissioner. After we are done, we will inform the administration and they will decide whether he will be released or not because we do not have a problem with him as police.”
Meanwhile, Thijin Yian, the chairperson of the civil society in Unity State, condemned the arrest of the youth leader and referred to it as a violation of his rights.
“I appeal to the county local authorities to resolve the issue peacefully. It is not right for a youth leader to insult the executive director but the issue cannot be resolved by arresting him and they should have taken him to court instead of abusing their powers and arresting him illegally. They have to respect the law,” he said. “Also, due to the changes in the state leadership with a new governor, state officials, and county commissioners are panicking and they think they will be changed. So, some politicians sideline some youth so that they do not speak out and second whoever they want to office.”
Yian added: “Youth have to participate in decision-making and be allowed to voice their concerns in the transitional period.”
Efforts by this publication to reach the acting commissioner for comment were futile.