Michael Makuei, the spokesman for the executive branch of the South Sudanese government, yesterday lashed out at the four politicians released by a court in Juba on Friday, threatening to arrest them again if they do not ‘change their attitude.’

He also confirmed the government ordered security personnel to block them from traveling outside the country. This puts the executive at odds with the judiciary, which ordered their release on Friday, saying they were free men.

The court in Juba closed the case against the four politicians – Ezekiel Lol, Oyai Deng, Pagan Amum and Majak d’Agoot – after the prosecution withdrew its charges against them.

Soon after the court order, security personnel on Friday afternoon stopped two of the released prisoners, Ezekiel Lol and Oyai Deng, from boarding an airplane at Juba Airport en route to Kenya, and seized their passports.

“The reason they didn’t travel is because some of them are giving irresponsible statements, and we did not cancel the case but we dropped the process. So if they do not change their attitude we will reopen the case again,” explained Makuei in remarks yesterday.  

The government spokesman affirmed that the four politicians will not be allowed to travel abroad. “If the Pagan Amum group does not want to change its attitude toward the government then the charges against them will be reopened in the court,” he warned.

The president of the country, Salva Kiir, stated in a news conference just after the four men were released that he had ‘requested’ they not travel outside South Sudan, and instead stay in Juba to cooperate with the government.

‘The case is closed forever’

Monyluak Alor Kuol, the lawyer representing the four accused persons, emphasized that the case is closed forever and any attempt to reopen the same case or bring the same charges against the released persons will be an abuse of the law.

The lawyer and his client Pagan Amum have both stressed that the government knew it was going to lose the case and hence withdrew the charges before the judges could give a verdict. Speaking to Radio Tamazuj on Monday, Monyluak pointed out the court was going to rule on 30 April in the favor of the accused persons, which is why the government dropped the case.

Pagan Amum likewise upon his release on Friday stated, “The government has noticed that the court is going to prove that we are not guilty, that is why they have taken the decision to withdraw the case. They withdrew the case and we know that we are not guilty of what they called a coup.”

The lawyer stressed, “If anybody attempts to reopen the case it is an abuse of the law and has no legal basis.” He also noted that the government’s warnings against the men not travel are an abuse of the law and their rights.

Kiir says ‘respect the released detainees’

South Sudan’s President Salva Kiir Mayardit spoke on Friday in the presence of his cabinet ministers telling them to respect the four released detainees.  

At a news conference at his office also attended by a number of his cabinet ministers and deputy ministers he said, “I want you whether my ministers or ordinary citizens of South Sudan to respect those who were released today.”

“I have ordered the minister to stay the case of the four accused person, and this is the only way that we can get out of this for the interest of peace for our country,” Kiir said.

He added that he did not want them to leave the country, but to ‘cooperate’ with the government. He also said he wanted the four to be present at a reconciliation conference in Juba on 3-4 May.

Photo: Judge reads the release order for Pagan Amum, Ezekiel Lol, Majak d'Agoot and Oyai Deng, 25 April 2014