Magwi County Commissioner David Otto Remson is being detained in the capital, Juba, for alleged involvement in the killing of two businessmen, a source has revealed.
The county commissioner was arrested last Thursday.
In August last year, two businessmen who travelled to Agoro Payam of Magwi County, Eastern Equatoria State, to buy bamboo were killed by armed men while two others survived the attack.
Speaking to Radio Tamazuj Monday, a source who preferred anonymity for security reasons said: “The charges against him [Commissioner David] is that he refused to arrest the community leaders in Agoro because Agoro is a payam under his authority.”
“The arrest of the commissioner in Juba has caused worries in Magwi County because he is popular among the community. People are demanding the government to take him to court or release him because if he remains in detention, this will bring issues in the county,” the source added.
The source further said the commissioner — a member of the ruling SPLM Party– travelled to Juba with the state governor’s vehicle after a warrant of arrest was issued against him by the police over the alleged involvement in the killing of the two businessmen last year.
Meanwhile, John Ochan Bongomin, a member of the East Equatoria State Legislative Assembly, confirmed the commissioner’s arrest by the police in Juba.
“Well, I have been informed. We don’t want to react because it is a security issue. So, since it is a security issue, we cannot just react without knowing the real problem. It is always important for one to understand the whole thing and maybe to give you the opinion accordingly, but as of now, we know that he has been arrested, but the main reason is said to be security reasons but the details we are yet to be made public,” the lawmaker said.
Ocholla Bosco, a youth leader in Magwi County, also confirmed the detention of their commissioner and said: “Everybody in Magwi was shocked. How can a commissioner be arrested, yet he is the head of security? The governor should have stood firm with the commissioner by not lifting his immunity. The governor should have been the one to accompany the commissioner with full authority without removing his immunity.”
The youth leader, who was speaking on behalf of the community, said the community of Magwi needs to know the reasons that led to the arrest of the county commissioner in Juba.
The state governor’s office declined to comment on the commissioner’s arrest.
South Sudan’s constitution requires detainees to be produced before a court within 24 hours. Despite this, authorities routinely detain suspects for long periods, including during investigations and subsequent trials.
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