Machar aide caring SSP 3 million briefly held by police in Juba – official

JUBA – A top protocol officer belonging to South Sudan’s First Vice President Dr. Riek Machar Teny caring SSP 3 million was briefly held by Juba police on Saturday night, according to a senior opposition official.

Kueth Pan Makuac, a protocol officer at Machar’s office was detained for one hour in Juba while caring the money meant for hotel bills, according to the senior opposition official who spoke to Sudans Post this morning.

“Well the reports that he has been arrested are not true. What happened is that Kueth Pan Makuac who works for H.E the First Vice President as a protocol officer was coming from his residence going to clear hotel bills for members being accommodated by the SPLM-IO was stopped and held for one hour by the police,” the senior opposition official said.

“Because you know in Juba they search cars and when they searched the car, they found three millions SSP and then he was asked where he was coming and heading with the money. He told them that he was coming from the office of the First Vice President going to clear hotel bills,” the opposition official added.

The official further said the Machar aide was then released after contact were made to the First Vice President’s office to authenticate where the money came from and where they were heading to.

“After contact was made, the First Vice President’s office confirmed that the money was from them and then he was released,” the official said.