President Kiir’s amnesty to political prisoners did not include rebel leader Riek Machar’s former spokesman James Gatdek Dak who has been taken to court in the capital, Juba.

South Sudan President Salva Kiir's spokesman Ateny Wek Ateny told Radio Tamazuj today that the president did not extend an offer of amnesty to James Gatdet Dak because he is facing serious charges.

“The case has already been taken to court, so the president cannot extend an offer of amnesty to Gatdet. It is the court to either acquit him or convict him,” said Ateny.

“The question whether the trial of Gatdet should be public or not, it concerns the court,” he added.

The opposition said on Saturday that James Gatdet Dak is facing serious charges after being taken to Juba County Court last week.

It said the charges against the former spokesman include: inciting violence (article 52), treason (article 64), disseminating false information to the detriment of South Sudanese national security (article 75), and insulting the president (article 76) under the South Sudanese penal code of 2008.

James Gatdet was deported to Juba by Kenyan authorities in November last year.

Just before his deportation to Juba, Gatdet had expressed his support for the removal of a Kenyan general of a United Nations peacekeeping force accused of failing to protect civilians after the outbreak of war in Juba in July last year.