Juba, South Sudan
August 24,2021— South Sudan’s First Vice President and the leader of the divided opposition, Dr. Riek Machar Teny, is holding a former business associate, Mr. Thalage Wal Goch, behind bars over alleged defamation charges.
The arrests of the Australian-South Sudanese business man came shortly after Mr. Thalage filed a lawsuit against Dr. Riek Machar Teny claiming that the First Vice President borrowed a land cruiser pick-up that was valued at $90, 000 USD and another cash amount of $120,000 USD between 2014-216.
The family members of Mr. Thalage and also Machar’s office have confirmed that the plaintiff is in jail at the order of the country’s First Vice President for tarnishing his reputation.
“Today, August 23, 2021, Riek Machar Teny, the First Vice President of the Republic of South Sudan imprisoned Mr.Thalahe Wal Goch Deng, a former South Sudan Red Army, and an Australian citizen in Juba Northern Police Division (CID Prison)”, the statement reads.
Last week the Press Secretary in the Office of the First Vice President, Mr. Puok Both Baluang pledged that the lender Wal will be sued instantly for tarnishing and playing with the image of the First Vice President, Dr. Riek Machar.
The incident has caused public outcry on social media as Machar, who has been on the news fighting for democracy, justice, fundamental freedoms and reforms, takes law into his own hands.
Commentators on media reacting differently as some argued that a person shouldn’t go to jail for demanding his rights while others say the guy deserves to be held behind bars for fabricating the unfounded story.
According to documents that were released by Mr. Thalage and his lawyers, the loans totaling to $210,000 should be repaid at a value of 1.5 million USD citing that Machar accepted an interest rate of 100% per annum.
Between August 18th and 20th, Thalage took it to social media announcing that he filed a case against the First Vice President and he is not willing to backdown declaring that any plead for him to compromise would be a red line.
