The Bishop of Awerial Diocese of the Episcopal Church of South Sudan, David Akau Kuol, is expected to appear before the high court in Juba on Thursday over cohabitation accusation.
According to court summon seen by TRC, Amos Awan, a plaintiff, has accused Bishop Akau of illegally staying with his daughter Amer as a wife for nearly 12 years.
On June 12, the dean of ECSS and archbishop of Eastern Bahr el Ghazal Internal Province of ECSS lifted the immunity of Akau to appear before the court in Juba.
“The administration of the ECSS of Eastern Bahr el Ghazal Internal Province is lifting your immunity to attend to the court on the above mentioned date of the court,” writes Archbishop Alaphayo Manyang.
When Contacted for a comment, Bishop Akau said he was not ready to talk to the media and threatened, asking who authorized the media to question him over the case.
“I am not ready to talk over this issue and who authorized Radio Mingkaman 100 FM to talk over this case?” He asked.
Also read: Awerial Diocese bishop ‘checks himself into jail’ after road accident
The church leader is said to have an official wife, with children in Australia.
The South Sudan Penal Code Act, 2008 stipulates that every person who by deceit causes any other person who is not lawfully married to him or her to believe that he or she is lawfully married to him or her and to cohabit or have sexual intercourse with him or her in that belief, commits an offence.
“And upon conviction, shall be sentenced to imprisonment for a term not exceeding two years or with a fine or with both,” reads Article 264.
In addition, Article 265 says:
“Whoever, dishonestly or with a fraudulent intent goes through the ceremony of being married knowing that he or she is not thereby lawfully married, commits an offence, and upon conviction, shall be sentenced to imprisonment for a term not exceeding two years or with a fine or with both.”