A lawmaker representing Twic East County, David de Dau has apologised and urged President Salva Kiir Mayardit to order the release of the self-proclaimed Prophet of Cush International, Abraham Chol Maketh.
He apologised on behalf of the member of his constituency to be released through Presidential order.
“Your Excellency, on behalf of my constituency and particularly Prophet Abraham Chol, who has been at the National Maximum Prison for the last seven (7) months without trial, I would like to apologise for any inconveniences that might have been caused by the declarations and utterances made by the person in the subject matter,” he appealed.
Dau argued that Prophet Chol Maketh, who hails from his constituency, had been arrested, detained, and denied a fair trial.
“The constitution of the Republic of South Sudan, Article 12 on the issue of Personal Liberty states that ‘every person has the right to liberty and security of person, no person shall be subjected to arrest, detention, deprivation or restriction of his or her liberty except for specified reasons and in accordance with procedures prescribed by law.”
“I quoted the above provision of the constitution in regards to the arrest, detention, and the denial of a fair trial of a member of my constituency, Twic East County, Jonglei State, in the name of Prophet Abraham Chol Maketh, who was arrested on July 8, 2021, at 10:00 pm at his residential house in Jebel area,” he said.
He argued that Chol was not informed about the reasons for his arrest at the time of his arrest and charges levied against him and that the cleric was exercising his religious rights.
“Prophet Abraham Chol was acting within the practice of his religious right as per article 23(d) of the constitution that states ‘the right to write, issue and disseminate religious publications, I am therefore appealing to your kind office to reconsider the release of Prophet Abraham Chol on the fact that he was acting on his religious rights and that what was claimed on the social media and public did not happen as reported,” Dau said.
Prophet safe
In November last year, the administration of National Prison Services, Juba Central Prison, said Prophet Abraham Chol Maketh was healthy in prison.
This came after Chol’s family rang an alarm that his health was risky and thus he should be released or brought before the court of law.
The Deputy Public Relations Officer of National Prison Services, Maj. Gen. Anthony Oliver Legge said that the prison administrator assured him that Chol was safe.
“I inquired from the administration [and I found out that he was okay]. He has no problems, but if he is sick, he should be treated. Though the information I got is that he is okay,” Oliver said in an interview with The City Review.