Opinion writer threatened by ex-Warrap governor over newspaper column

The former governor of South Sudan’s Warrap state has allegedly threatened a local political commentator over an opinion piece on corruption in the state.

The former governor of South Sudan’s Warrap state has allegedly threatened a local political commentator over an opinion piece on corruption in the state.

Simon Bak, a columnist with Juba Monitor, a Juba-based daily newspaper, told Radio Tamazuj Sunday that former governor Nyandeng Malek threatened him through a phone call over an article he wrote and published on Friday.

“I was surprised by a phone call from the removed governor, threatening me over the open letter. She demanded me to prepare myself for the next step, claiming I accused her of corruption,” he said. “I don’t know. She was threatening me for what?”

Bak said the ex-governor threatened him to prepare evidence of the corruption allegation labeled against her.

He said he talked about corruption in Warrap State and that he wrote an open letter addressed to the new caretaker governor Akech Tong Aleu.

The commentator added that he fears reprisal from Nyandeng’s loyalists. He noted he didn’t mention the name of the former governor in the Friday’s opinion peace.

Photo: former Warrap governor Nyandeng Malek