The former minister of finance and planning, Dr. Marial Dongrin Ater, was on Wednesday released from the detention facility at the National Security Service’s Internal Security Bureau (ISB) Headquarters (Blue House) and placed under house arrest in Juba.
He was arrested in the Lakes State capital, Rumbek, in February and flown to Juba. He was briefly allowed a compassionate release in early May to attend his daughter’s burial before being returned to custody.
Malou Mayom, a relative, said Dongrin will be under supervision and monitoring in his house.
“The former minister is under house arrest in Juba, not in Rumbek. The former minister will be kept in his house,” he said. “House arrest is better compared to Blue House because he will be here with his family and will be able to chat with the people.”
For his part, Daniel Laat Kon, a Rumbek-based civil society activist, said they learned about Dongrin’s transfer to his home under security supervision.
“This is a good step because we know it will help him to console the family members after he lost his daughter. We urge the government to address the cases quickly. It is already an arbitrary detention, which is already a violation of the law,” he said. “You cannot detain someone beyond 24 or 72 hours. It would be better for the government to resolve the case and release them.”
According to Laat, no charges have been brought against Dongrin and other suspects who were arrested on suspicion of embezzling public funds.
“Let them be released and walk freely so that they can start a new life instead of holding them under arbitrary detention or under house arrest”, he said. “In detention, they may fall sick and require medical attention.”
“Our call to the government is to do the same to the other people still in detention and clear their cases as soon as possible,” Laat added.
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