Former Governor of Eastern Equatoria State Louis Lobong Lojore is considering suing The Sentry, an international firm that investigates cross-border crimes, following allegations of illicit mining and trafficking in minerals.

The new twist in the saga that has stalked Mr Lobong a while comes barely three days after he convened a press conference in the capital Juba, South Sudan to rail at the firm that also accused prominent South Sudanese of being privy to the illicit mining and export of gold.

Lobong, who governed Eastern Equatoria for nearly a decade, had on Saturday May 9 told reporters at Paradise Hotel in Juba that his family was prepared to pursue a case against the American-funded watchdog in court to clear his name.

“We would like to state to the world, the people of South Sudan and Eastern Equatorians that the Lojore family (the governor’s nucleus family) have never committed any wrongdoing. As such, we are ready to pursue this case against The Sentry before the court of public opinion and the court of justice to clear our family name,” he said.

In April this year, The Sentry published a scathing report in which the activities of mining companies and prominent people were put under the spotlight.

Titled Untapped and Unprepared: Dirty Deals Threaten South Sudan’s Mining Sector, the report implicates former and incumbent senior government officials and members of their families in the illegal mining and export of minerals.

The former governor lambasted the report, terming it “a political witch-hunt” with an intention to “jeopardising South Sudan’s future by destroying its leaders’ reputation” and “setting the country for internationally-backed neo-colonialism”.

Lobong said it was time the country’s leadership tackle “these destructive forces” through the presentation of facts and litigation.

Lobong was one of State Governors who were relieved of their duties after the Revitalised Transitional Government of National Unity came into force in February this year.