Army commander arrested in connection with death of Kiir’s relative

JUBA – A senior South Sudan army commander has been arrested in the country’s capital Juba over June 2020 Sherikat incident in which President Salva Kiir Mayardit’s nephew, Lual Akook, was killed after involvement in a land dispute with locals in the capital’s Gumbo area.

Speaking to Sudans Post from Juba on Monday evening, an army source said General Garang Akok was arrested in Juba during evening hours of Monday after a court on Sherikat incident ordered his immediate arrest ahead of court hearing.

“This is to inform you that General Garang Akok has been arrested in connection with the death of Colonel Lual Akook who was killed by some people during the Sherikat incident last year,” the security source who requested to be named said.

“He will appear in court soon to answer for his involvement because the South Sudan People’s Defense Forces does not condone  criminality. If he is found guilty, he will be sentenced in accordance with the law. If he is found innocent, definitely he will be released,” the source added.

General Garang Akok Adut was arrested in August last year after a preliminary report by a committee highlight their involvement in the death of Lual who at the time has been widely accused of involvement in several land disputes with civilians across teh capital Juba.

According to police spokesman General Daniel Justin at the time, General Garang Along with General Majier Abdalla Mabior, were released again and handed over to the army pending investigation after which a court sitting will be carried out to determine their involvement.

“For two Generals, Gen Majier Abdalla Mabior and General Garang Akok Adut, our laws says that if the suspect is from the organized forces, he is to be handed back to his unit after the investigation and to remain there until the court is called,” the police spokesman said last year.

“So after investigations, the two Generals were handed over to their unites pending the trial of the case. The other three civilians are now in Juba central prison and the investigation is still going on.”