The Ministry of Justice and Constitutional Affairs has dismissed a viral document titled “Investigation Committee Leak Report: Bol Mel Electronic Diary” as fabricated and disinformation.
Dr. Abraham Telar, a member of the Investigation and
Prosecution Committee, rejected the authenticity of the document, stating that
the material has no connection to its official work and should be treated as
disinformation.
“This material is a total fabrication and is categorized as
a baseless work of fiction,” Telar told reporters on Monday during a press
conference in Juba.
Telar clarified that legitimate findings from the committee
are never released as “leak reports” and always follow strict institutional
protocols.
“This fraudulent document lacks all requisite institutional
markers, including official letterheads, serial numbers, and internal
authentication protocols,” Telar explained.
“As a matter of standard procedure, the Committee confirms
that any document surfacing via anonymous digital channels is, by definition, a
forgery lacking any institutional legitimacy.”
The committee warned that the spread of such content
undermines the legal system and the principle of presumption of innocence.
Meanwhile, Michael Makuei Lueth, Minister of Justice and
Constitutional Affairs, expressed concern over the growing misuse of social
media platforms.
“What we are seeing these days is that social media has gone
viral and has gone wild,” Makuei noted.
“People are writing all unnecessary information, creating a
lot of stories which are not verified and so forth.”
He also warned of potential consequences for misinformation.
“If we are to continue in that way, then definitely at the
end of the day, we may either go into crisis or some of us may go into custody
and prisons.”
The minister reiterated its call for restraint and
responsibility, stressing that the circulation of false documents not only
harms individuals but also disrupts efforts toward accountability and justice
in the country.
Since last year, former Vice President for the Economic
Cluster, Dr. Benjamin Bol Mel, has remained under house arrest in Juba after
being removed from his position by President Salva Kiir.
Authorities have not publicly disclosed the reasons for his
detention. However, he is currently under investigation.
These developments come at a time of reported internal rivalries within the government, including disagreements over the control and management of oil revenues.