AFRICA/SOUTH SUDAN - Coordinator of the Justice and Peace Commission, accused of food poisoning, released on bail

Wednesday, 6 September 2017 justice  

Juba (Agenzia Fides) - Natalina Andrea Mabu, coordinator of the Justice and Peace Commission of Wau diocese, was released on bail. This was reported to Agenzia Fides by sources of the local Church, who for security reasons ask to remain anonymous. The "Justice and Peace" was under investigations over a suspected outbreak of food poisoning on August 3 during a military seminar held at the "Garinti" military base in Wau, which had caused the death of Brigadier General Mathok Akec, commander of operations in the area of Wau (see Fides 28/8/2017).
"Mabu has always denied the accusations against her", say Fides sources. "The episode of poisoning must be seen in the very complex context in Wau, where strong ethnic tensions have caused several deaths", explain our sources. "The Justice and Peace coordinator belongs to a tribe, the Balande, that has suffered several deaths due to the repression of the army dominated by the Dinka ethnicity. And in fact the commander killed was a Dinka".
In Wau, thousands of people have been forced to abandon their homes because of the violence. In the local cathedral alone there are about 12,000 displaced, many of whom are Balande. Mabu denied the charges in an interview with Radio Tamazuj. (L.M.) (Agenzia Fides, 6/9/2017)


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