Police authorities in Aweil town of Northern Bahr el Ghazal State have detained the state’s anti-corruption boss Anei Rok Akuei since Friday for assaulting security forces.
Rok, a member of the Sudan People’s Liberation Movement in Opposition (SPLM-IO), is said to have picked a fight with forces deployed to provide security during the official launch of SPLM-IO party offices and registration of members.
Maj. General Philip Madut, the state police commissioner, told Radio Tamazuj on Monday that the SPLM-IO officials in the state requested the deployment of the forces to maintain security for their visiting guests.
“So we deployed traffic police force along the roads. Surprisingly, a group of party members was trying to march on the roads with their new uniforms, but they were blocked to pave the way for the official convoy to move with full security because no one is allowed to walk on roads if an official convoy moves,” explained Madut. “Some of the IO ministers plus the accused (Rok) ordered their members to continue moving until a traffic accident occurred. When the traffic police officers went to solve the matter, they were beaten badly and the security organs fought back, that was the reason.”
Northern Bahr el Ghazal state information minister, William Anyuon Kuol, confirmed the arrest.
“You know, the anti-corruption chairperson was arrested when they were violently attacking security forces that were protecting them because the SPLM-IO was having the launch of their office. But they were violent against the police on claims that their people were blocked,” said the information minister.
Anyuon further added that Rok could also have been detained for taking photos and videos during the event.
Meanwhile, SPLM-IO secretary-general in the state, Garang Wol Kon, stressed that his party official is still in detention for no clear reasons, saying other members arrested with him were released briefly after they were arrested.
“We have one person still not released and that is none other than Anei Rok who was arrested on the same day (Friday). He is now at the police station. The reason is not clear. The police are telling us that a case was opened against him, but we don’t know who opened the case,” said Wol.
“We tried our level best this morning (Monday) but we are told to pay 70,000 South Sudanese Pounds to bail him out from custody. This is the process we are working on now,” he added.
The SPLM-IO launched its secretariat and party registration in the state last Friday.