MP Juol Nhomngek who was suspended on Wednesday by the speaker said he is suing the government of South Sudan in the East Africa court of Justice to challenge the speaker’s action.
The speaker of the Transitional National Legislative Assembly, Jemma Nunu Kumba on April 26, suspended the MP for accusing her of several corruptions allegations in the parliament including embezzlement of 12 Million pound and payment of speaker’s private workers through the MPs’ medical allowances.
Speaker Nunu denied taking 12 millions which the MP believes she has stolen.
Before the suspension, the member of parliament had severally asked the speaker to produce an audited report -Something which the speaker find hard to do than suspension.
“On Monday, I will meet with the lawyers so that we take the case to the East Africa Court of justice which is fairly independence to challenge this administrative decision because it was done wrongly,” Juol told The Radio Community.
The plaintiff said his lawyers will soon set the date to submit the case in court after Monday planning meeting.
Juol said he is suing the government of South Sudan because the parliament as portion of the government may not have the standing before the East Africa Court.
“What we are taking to East Africa is not the speaker herself, what we are taking to court is challenging the decision. Suing the government of South Sudan through the ministry of justice on this illegal action of the speaker. Parliament is the branch of government,” he stated.
According to Juol, he is heading to the East Africa Court of Justice because he was not given fair hearing in the matter that triggered his suspension. He described speaker’s action as illegal by ordering suspension when she is the one being accused of corruption.
“In administrative matters, the speaker should not be the judge and at the same time complainant in the same case,” Juol argued.
The suspended member of parliament said his case should have been handled by the neutral body and not the speaker herself.
Juol said his next step after coming out of the East Africa court is to open a case against the speaker in the court of South Sudan as an individual to face each other on corruption issues.
“The first step is on the rule of law. We shall set aside the illegal action because the speaker did not follow the law,” He said. “After that case in the East Africa court, the next move, I will file official complain in the court of South Sudan against the speaker on the issues of corruption and I will ask the parliament to remove my immunity and the immunity of speaker and we are appear in court as individuals. She has to defend herself and I will have to prove it,”
Juol Nhomngek is a member of parliament representing Cuiebet county, Lakes state on SPLM-IO ticket.
