A candidate contesting for SPLM Party Wulu County secretary was arrested over allegations of adultery on Sunday ahead of the party’s congresses and primary elections, which are due to take place today, Tuesday, in Lakes State’s Wulu County.
According to Santino Moyo Gordon’s supporters, the charge against their candidate was politically framed to keep him out of the race.
William Mayiei, the Wulu County youth representative, told Radio Tamazuj on Monday that Moyo was accused of committing adultery with somebody’s wife last month but that the matter was amicably resolved.
“They went as a family and agreed that the owner of the wife will be paid one cow because they are one family. The husband agreed to take the one cow from Santino [Moyo], and he was given some money. I think some little money was to be added, but it does not warrant arrest,” he explained. “On Sunday, he was rearrested by the same person who said he needed the rest of his money, even when Moyo said the money left was little. The owner of the wife insisted that he be paid his money.”
According to Mayiei, the police told the complainant to bring his wife to the station if he wanted to open a formal case and be compensated seven cows according to tradition, but he refused.
“The police then told him that they will not keep Moyo here in custody unless you bring your wife, but he failed to bring his wife and they released Santino [Moyo],” he narrated. “On Sunday evening, the complainant came and rearrested Moyo. It looks like a politically motivated arrest organized by some individuals.”
“We believe a person contesting against Moyo and his supporters are the ones who set him up to remain in police custody until the primary elections are completed on Tuesday,” Mayiei added.
He said that Moyo’s opponent knows that he will trounce him and that they have resorted to underhanded methods.
“We even told the county authorities in Wulu to release him to contest primaries and proceed with the case after he wins or loses,” he said. “We reported this matter to SPLM State Secretary Abraham Mayen Kuc, and he talked to the commissioner of Wulu County, but we don’t know what they communicated because Moyo has not yet been released.”
When contacted, William Koji Kirjok, the state’s caretaker information minister, confirmed Moyo’s arrest over what he called a private issue involving another man.
“His arrest is not politically motivated, and the commissioner of Wulu County is working hard to secure his immediate release so that he can contest in the SPLM primary elections tomorrow [Tuesday] in Wulu,” he said. “I contacted the county commissioner in Wulu, and he said it is a normal case and that they will continue with primaries and congress elections on Tuesday whether Moyo is in custody or not.”
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