By Makur Adut

The Commissioner of Cueibet County Deng Mario Deng who was recently detained by the National Security Services (NSS) under the orders of Lakes State Governor Rin Tueny has been released.

Governor Rin directed the authorities to release the opposition-allied commissioner after spending one month in detention at an NSS centre in Rumbek.

” I am finally free. And all my belongings have been given back to me. I have received my car, phone and everything that was taken from me,” Deng said, confirming that his health is good since he was detained in a well maintain prison.

“I was transferred to a safer, more convenient place through the orders of the Governor. He ordered that I should be released from my detention centre in Rumbek,” the Commissioner added.

He explained that his suspension from office was lifted. However, he trusts that the governor will someday advise on some of the reasons that led to his detention.

” I cannot tell the reasons. Maybe it was caused by administrative or political factors. I cannot really tell,” Deng said.

“I wait to hear from the authorities the charges that were laid against me that led to my detention. For now, I cannot tell what really happened,” he said.

He revealed that he lasted one month and some few weeks in detention, from the May 23 to June 8.  

Deng thanked the Governor for setting him free.

“I don’t have any grudges with the governor, neither do I have any with the political leaders. I respect the Governor as an elder and my supervisor. No one knows what the future holds. I will be happy if he calls me to tell me exactly what went wrong so that I don’t repeat it,” he said.

On his part, Laat Kon Ater, Lakes States Coordinator for civil rights organization, Community Empowerment for Progress Organization (CEPO) commended the leadership of the State for freeing the commissioner.

“We welcome this move. We are very happy that he is now free. The reasons behind his detention were not very clear, whether they were politically instigated or for any other reason,” Kon said.

He called for reinstatement of the commissioner to his post to fill the vacuum since the position has remained vacant for long.

This, he said, would enable the leader to address some of the many pressing issues affecting the County.