South Sudan’s transitional parliament has begun proceedings to lift the immunity of an opposition lawmaker detained since March, paving the way for him to face criminal charges, officials said.
Gatwech Lam Puoch, a member of parliament representing Nasir County for the Sudan People’s Liberation Movement-in-Opposition (SPLM-IO), was arrested on March 12 by National Security Service agents at his home in Juba. He remains in custody without trial.
Although any detainee must be brought before a judge within 24 hours according to the country’s constitution, this rarely happens.
Gatwech’s detention followed protests by him and other SPLM-IO legislators against the deployment of South Sudan People’s Defence Forces (SSPDF) to Upper Nile State’s Nasir County without local consultation. The opposition argued the move risked destabilizing the region and violating the 2018 peace agreement.
In a June 12 letter obtained by Radio Tamazuj, Justice Minister Dr. Wek Mamer Kuol asked Transitional National Legislative Assembly (TNLA) Speaker Jemma Nunu Kumba to revoke Gatwech’s parliamentary immunity. The minister cited charges under South Sudan’s 2008 Penal Code, including treason, subverting constitutional government, and supplying weapons to insurgents.
TNLA spokesperson Oliver Mori Benjamin confirmed that the justice minister’s request was presented to the Assembly Business Committee on Friday. The matter will now proceed to the Legislation and Justice Committee for review before a final decision.
“Legal procedures in such cases must be followed carefully and thoroughly,” Benjamin told Radio Tamazuj.
However, SPLM-IO lawmaker Juol Nhomngek criticized the move as politically motivated, saying Gatwech was arrested without due process and that the justice minister—a member of the rival SPLM in Government (SPLM-IG)—could not be impartial.
“The parliament should not act on that letter unless evidence is provided,” Nhomngek said. “This is about politics, not justice.”
He warned that SPLM-IO lawmakers might boycott proceedings if the motion reaches the full assembly.
Gatwech’s arrest is part of a broader crackdown on SPLM-IO officials, including First Vice President Riek Machar, Petroleum Minister Puot Kang Chol, and other Machar allies.
Dorothy Ambrose Drabuga, a civil society member and chairperson of the South Sudan Land Alliance, said tensions between the SPLM-IG and SPLM-IO threaten the peace process.
“This conflict is senseless,” she said. “Arresting people will not move the country forward. We need dialogue, not detention.”
She urged both sides to focus on implementing the peace agreement and preparing for elections rather than escalating political hostilities.
South Sudan, which gained independence in 2011, has been plagued by civil war and political instability. The 2018 peace deal returned Machar to government, but persistent mistrust and sporadic violence have stalled progress.
No timeline has been set for the TNLA’s decision on Gatwech’s immunity.
