Advocates for the National Alliance opposition parties say that South Sudan's Supreme Court Justice Chan Reec Madut should recuse himself from the case over Salva Kiir's 28 states because he has shown his bias in favor of the 28 states.

Last year in October, opposition political parties petitioned the Supreme Court to block the Establishment Order by Salva Kiir creating 28 states in place of the constitutionally established ten states.

Chief Justice Chan Reec Madut published a “congratulatory message” in This Day newspaper in Juba on Tuesday on behalf of his ethnic group, the Dinka Aguok community and “on my own behalf.”

“Your excellency President of the Republic Salva Kiir Mayardit, I, the Chairman of the Aguok Community in Juba, Justice Chan Reec Madut on behalf of the entire Aguok Community and on my own behalf seize to take this opportunity to congratulate you for your bold decision for the creation of Gogrial State among others,” he wrote.

Lawyers for the National Alliance say this disqualifies him from ruling on the legality of the Establishment Order because he would not be impartial.

Agok Makuor, one of the lawyers for the National Alliance of 18 opposition political parties said yesterday the court has scheduled its next sitting on the matter for 18 February to consider their petition against the chief justice.

“Today, the court has listened to the response from the defense lawyer and we responded to a petition presented by the Ministry of Justice in the previous court hearing. Of course, the point emphasizes about our petition that we presented against the chief justice to step down from chairing the court hearing,” he said.

Photo: Congratulatory message from the chief justice to Salva Kiir