By Yang Ater Yang
Lakes State authorities have released two senior members of the opposition SPLM-IO from Rock City military detention and placed them under house arrest in the state capital, Rumbek, officials and family members confirmed.
They are two senior SPLM-IO members, ex-deputy governors of Lakes State, Dr. Isaiah Akol Mathiang Machut, and ex-minister for animal resources, fisheries, and tourism, Samuel Gai Magok.
They had been held for about two years at military detention facilities in Yirol East and Rumbek East Counties and the Rock City military facility in Rumbek Capital.
Their arrest came after Dr. Akol, who chairs Machar’s opposition party, the Sudan People’s Liberation Movement-in-Opposition (SPLM-IO), in Lakes State, was detained a day after condemning March 2024 airstrikes by South Sudanese and Ugandan troops in Upper Nile State.
The government secretary general in the State secretariat in Rumbek, John Akec Machiek, confirmed that the SPLM-IO former deputy governor Isaiah Akol Mathiang was released from military detention and placed under house arrest in the State capital, Rumbek.
He said the SPLM-IO former deputy governor, Isaiah Akol Mathiang, is a political detainee, and there’s nothing to fear.
“Anyone who wants to visit the SPLM-IO former deputy governor Isaiah Akol Mathiang is free to visit Isaiah Akol Mathiang in his house.”
Machar Manyer,, a close family member of SPLM-IO former minister of animal resources, fisheries, and tourism Samuel Gai Magok, has also confirmed that the SPLM-IO former deputy governor Isaiah Akol Mathiang has been released from military prison in Rumbek.
“The phone you are communicating with me is his phone. The former Minister Gai Magok has been out of detention for almost 2 days,” he said.
He said the former deputy governor, Isaiah Akol Mathiang, is in good health after his release and will be staying home.
He said the former deputy governor, Isaiah Akol Mathiang, spent 2 years in detention, and everyone is happy with his release from military prison.
He said the family members appreciate the government of Lakes State for releasing the SPLM-IO former deputy governor Isaiah Akol Mathiang after 2 years in detention.
Daniel Laat Kon, chairperson of the Civil Society Organisations Network in Lakes State, confirmed that the release of SPLM-IO former deputy governor Isaiah Akol Mathiang, who had been detained in the military detention facility.
He said his release is one of the steps that is being appreciated and commented on as a positive move in the state.
“We are urging the state government, the committee, and the government at least to speed up in handling this case because the former governor with his colleagues that have been in a prolonged detention,” he said.
“These people need medical attention, and they also need the freedom to visit their family and for them also to engage with other stakeholders, and that’s why we are urging the committee to give a recommendation and speed up the investigation such that the former deputy governor can have the freedom to go for medical attention and treatment,” he added.
He said this is one of the steps that we appreciate, and we really need other steps to be sped up.