The newly appointed Western Bahr el Ghazal state revenue director has been missing since Wednesday in Wau town, the family has announced.
According to the family, Cicinato Zachariah Abdullah was appointed on 31st December 2020 by the governor of Western Bahr el Ghazal Sarah Cleto as the State Director of Revenue Authority before his disappearance.
Nelson Cicinato, Zacharia's son told Radio Tamazuj on Saturday that his father has not returned home since he assumed office on 6th of January 2021.
“Since my father went to his office to assume his work on 6th January 2021, he didn’t return home,” Nelson said. “When I went to his office and tried to enter at around 8:00 PM on the same day, I was detained shortly by the security and later released. I was asked to go home and return in the morning. When I returned to the office on 7th, I was told by the same security personnel that my father went to Juba.”
Nelson is urging the state government to reveal the whereabouts of his father.
“I don’t know whether my voice will reach the government and if the government may hear me. I want them to connect us with our father through phone or show us whether he is alive or dead,” he said. “And if he has committed a crime which we don’t know, then let him be taken to court.”
Before his appointment, Cicinato Zachariah Abdullah has worked in Malakal and Aweil and as branch manager for Ivory Bank.
Kon Mel Ayok, the acting state police commissioner revealed that in a state security meeting a letter from Ivory Bank was read demanding the state revenue director to appear before a Juba court.
“I am a member of the security committee in the state and what I have heard was that there was a person who might have a problem with his previous work and that person has been appointed here as a state revenue director. So there was a letter where he is needed in the court and we read that letter. I don’t know how he disappeared?" Mel said.
Asked about the whereabouts of Zacharia, Mel said, "You can call the governor because she is the chairperson of security in the state. As as a member, we cannot just speak about anything when we have our boss. I advise you to call the state governor.”
Stephen Robo Musa, the state coordinator of Community Empowerment for Progress Organization CEPO has condemned the illegal detention of the senior government official and called for legal procedures.
“No matter how the case may be, we call for the legal procedure because he is a government official. If there is anything, we call for legal procedures,” Robo said. “Let a case be opened if a criminal act is committed, he can answer for it. Otherwise, he can be released; it’s really unfortunate.”
Several attempts by Radio Tamazuj to reach the governor were futile.