DRC army releases South Sudanese man after receiving $700 ransom

JUBA – A family in South Sudan’s Western Equatoria state has paid the DR Congolese army at least $700 in ransom in order to release a relative fisherman who was kidnapped a year ago.

Gibson Alex, 35,and his young brother, Seme Michael, 23, were arrested by the Armed Forces of the Democratic Republic of the Congo at the border area of Sakure in Nzara County.

Gibson Alex was released on Wednesday this week after the family paid the Congolese authorities a negotiated sum of 700 US dollars.

“We paid seven papers [$700] and he has been released.He is now with me at home but he is sick and his health is deteriorating. We have taken him for treatment,” his father Alex Taban confirmed to Eye Radio.

“Some family members contributed with the money and even communities also contributed after reaching what they [Congolese authority] want, we paid for him to be released,”his father Alex Taban confirms.”

The two brothers were accused by the Congolese soldiers of crossing with firearms into the Congolese territory.

After their arrest in October last year, the siblings were transferred to Dungu, a Congolese town in Haut-Uele Province.

They were among a group of people who allegedly attempted to cross for fishing at River Mbuere situated, a few kilometers from Sakure Payam. But, the younger brother, Seme Michael was first released after the family paid $300 to the Congolese authorities.

This report was filed by Eye Radio with slide edits from Sudans Post