South Sudan’s Mining Minister Martin Gama Abucha who was arrested by security agents in Nimule has been released after two hours in detention, a senior military officer said.
Gen. Abucha was arrested on Saturday afternoon while travelling to the Adjumani District of Uganda.
Security agents reportedly followed the national minister’s convoy from the Loa area before intercepting him at the border town of Nimule.
The SPLA-IO commander in charge of the Anyanya Division at the Achwa cantonment site confirmed Gen. Abucha’s release to Radio Tamazuj.
Brig. Gen Okeny George M Lam said the minister was released following intervention from CTSAMVM in Torit Town.
The SPLA-IO general blamed the security forces along the Juba-Nimule highway over what he termed as political parties’ affiliation.
“What happened yesterday Saturday exactly was a belief many partners in the revitalized agreement continue to annex the ministers and other national or state figures to other party systems,” Gen. Lam stressed.
The spokesperson in the office of First Vice President Dr Riak Machar also confirmed the minister’s release and said Gen. Abucha has proceeded to Uganda.
Puok Both Baluang described the arrest as a violation of the revitalized agreement.
He calls for thorough investigations into the arrest of the national minister. “This is also a violation to our government because it is their minister and national security being put in.”
“We are calling for investigations on what happened and the people responsible should be held accountable for the mistake they committed because this is a violation. We condemn that in the strongest terms possible, this is not the way the government of national unity can work,” Baluang stated.
It remains unclear why Gen. Martin Gama Abucha was arrested and detained by the security forces.
Gen. Abucha who was appointed into the ministerial post under the SPLM-IO ticket is also the party’s representative at the security mechanism, CTSAMVM.