Elements of the Sudan People’s Liberation Army (SPLA) have been identified by multiple sources as responsible for the disappearance of a TV presenter in South Sudan’s capital Juba, but the army has not yet officially confirmed whether it detained the journalist or not.
Michael Christopher, a presenter of the Afaq show on SSTV, was reported missing since Tuesday.
A security source told Radio Tamazuj that he saw Michael in a car heading towards military intelligence headquarters located in Giyada on Tuesday.
Likewise, National Courier reported, “According to a reliable source, Michael was arrested by the military police from Bilpam on the orders of Gen. Malong Awan.”
The social media news source linked the arrest of Michael to an interview he had done with the Caretaker Governor of Northern Bahr el Ghazal State Kuel Aguer Kuel, in which the governor elaborated on the political situation in Aweil.
Kuel and General Malong are former political allies but they have been at odds since at least early January. The general heads the ruling party in the state in spite of his active-duty army posting.
Speaking to Radio Tamazuj yesterday, the caretaker governor confirmed that he had given an interview to Michael Christopher before the latter’s arrest. He said that military officers ‘summoned’ the TV presenter to their office in Juba.
“I heard that they summoned him to the headquarters of the military intelligence in Giyada here in Juba, but I don’t know what happened. He did an interview on the television [with me], it was not about any one thing but about the situation of the state.”
Kuel identified Michael Christopher as a “part-timer at the South Sudanese television.” He said he was unable to comment on claims that the state-TV journalist was also enrolled in the army ranks.
“There is nobody who told me anything official but I found out that they called him to go to the security… he was at Giyada. But I didn’t found out the details about it, if they arrested him or whatever, and now his phone is not going through.”
SPLA’s official spokesman could not be reached for comment.
However, a senior staff officer denied that General Malong had ordered the arrest of the TV presenter, saying this was “rubbish” and “nonsense.”
Major Makuac Lual, executive director in the office of the Chief of General Staff said, “I just asked him [Gen. Malong] and he said he even does not know the journalist.”
“We have our own way to find out the intention of those making these fabrications to tarnish the standing of the chief of general staff,” said the officer.
However, Maj. Makuac did not either confirm or explicitly deny that army officers have detained the TV presenter.
Photo: Television presenter Michael Christopher (SSTV)