The family of a man abducted in Yei by unidentified gunmen last November say that they still have not been informed of his whereabouts and are not even sure whether he is alive or dead.

Kenyi Elisa John, a brother of the victims Mawa Malish Isaac, says he thinks his brother may have been detained without charge and held incommunicado, in violation of his constitutional rights. But since he has never been informed of his brothers whereabouts he cannot be sure of his safety.

The last public sighting of Mawa was on 24 November when he was seen being driven away in a vehicle with SPLA Commando colors. Two others are also reported to have been detained at the same time.

Mawa’s brother told Radio Tamazuj: “I don’t know where are they, whether they are killed or not. And if they are killed it is good for me to know also so that we can arrange for the funeral. You know all these things happen in our country and we all love our country, this is beyond what someone could say.”

He also said that if the government had any problem with his brother for any ‘mistake’ that he committed then he should face the law, not be detained secretly. “It is normal that when a person did a mistake it is supposed to known, and if the mistake is beyond the law then he is supposed to face the law. But the issue is that, I don’t know the problem and I was not informed of what he (Mawa) has done.”

Kenyi stressed, “Up to now is very hard to locate the whereabouts of my brother; my fear is that I don’t know whether they are going to come back.”

Separately, another source in Yei said he was informed that Mawa is being held without charge by the National Security Service on suspicion of links to the armed opposition. He stressed that the security apparatus was working based on rumors and suspicions and completely outside the law.

He said, “Such practices are a total violation of the transitional constitution and the bill of rights, so what is happening is arbitrary arrest which is completely contrary to the existing laws of South Sudan being the transitional constitution or other existing laws.” 

Related: 

Yei officials searching for abductees (10 Dec.)

Family demand to know reason for ‘abduction’ of man in Yei (2 Dec.)