Kalisto Ladu, former mayor of Juba City Council turns political critic. |File Photo|.
Vice-President James Wani Igga broke the silence over the fate of the former mayor of Juba City Council, Kalisto Ladu, who was grabbed by security agents in Juba, citing that the critic is under the government’s custody.
Igga disclosed that the government would take Kalisto Ladu to court to answer charges labeled against him by the security apparatus.
Addressing a Thanksgiving ceremony in Juba over the weekend, Vice-President Igga, alleged that they have watched apparent footage of Kalisto engaging in subversive activities, saying the government would present him in the court.
He also alleged that the government has evidence and shall showcase it in the court at an appropriate time.
On his part, the Auxiliary Bishop of the Catholic Archdiocese of Juba, Santo Laku Pio hinted that Kalisto Ladu was arrested because of his stance against land grabbing and misuse of power by some senior government officials.
He downplayed Vice-President Igga’s assertion that Kalisto engaged in negative activities against the government.
“I hope you have not killed him,” Laku questioned. “Kalisto was arrested because he spoke boldly against the land-grabbing and marginalization of the natives of Juba. If you kill him [Kalisto], you will kill me too,” furiously said.
He warned the politicians, particularly those who hail from Bari Community to refrain from confusing the community.
“Do not protract your political campaigns and anxiety in the Bari Community. Do not divide this community. When you come among the Bari people; refrain from making any political chant, we are not interested in your political parties. If you insist, we shall vote you out during the general elections,” Laku avowed.
In April this year, agents of the country’s National Security Service snatched Kalisto Ladu from his house in the presence of his family members.
Kalisto Ladu—the son of Mangala Payam, previously also spoke out against the actions of some elements of the SSPDF [South Sudan People’s Defence Forces] who he said were terrorizing the farming communities in Gondokoro Island, Mangala, and other areas that are being forcefully occupied by soldiers and their kinsmen.
A week later in April, the government of the United States of America through its embassy in Juba condemned the utter lack of transparency and due process in the arrest of Kalisto Ladu.
The US Embassy said Kalisto’s arrest was yet another example of the transitional government’s failure to open civic and political space for its citizens.
Kalisto’s spouse told the media that her husband was arrested and picked up from his home by armed men in uniform and others in plain clothes.
“Kalisto tried to talk to them to understand the issue when they came to our home at night, but they refused to talk and started beating Kalisto, and then they forced him into a Toyota Landcruiser vehicle full of soldiers. They came with a Toyota Landcruiser Pickup and a Noah vehicle with tinted windows, but the two vehicles were numberless,” Joana narrated.
Police Spokesperson Major General Daniel Justin Baolo previously confirmed the arrest but declined to provide more details.
