The chairperson for Northern Bahr Ghazal State’s Chamber of Commerce has been released without charges after spending nine months and 20 days in detention.
“I came out free and there was no point presented before the court to legally charge me,” he said Deng Makol Athian.
He was set free on Sunday along with over 100 people from different states in the country.
who is also the CEO of Wunanok company was picked up from his office on the 15 October in 2022 by men in uniforms without an arrest warrant.
“I was arrested and my phones were taken, disconnecting from my businesses. This destroyed my business completely,” Makol told Akol Yam FM.
Arbitrary arrest and detention without charge is prohibited, according to the transitional constitution.
It says an arrested individual may be held up to 24 hours as part of an investigation, after which they must be presented in court to be jailed.
Speaking to Akol Yam FM on phone, Deng says while in detention, he lost both his reputation and businesses and he is now going to start from the scratch.
He says no charges were presented to him and others after months of detention in Juba.
Deng says South Sudan is a country that has laws governing it and any accused should be presented to the court instead of arbitrary detention.