Authorities in South Sudan are holding Ajang Ajang Lino, the former Chairman of South Sudan United Front despite granting him presidential amnesty in 2018.
He was arrested six months ago and has never been presented to Courts of law.
Until his arrest over unclear circumstances, Ajang was the Deputy Commissioner for domestic taxes South Sudan National Revenue Authority (NRA). He is currently detained at the NSS detention facility.
Upon his arrest, a Committee was constituted to investigate him. Impeccable sources indicate that the committee did not find it true for all charges levelled against him by his tormentors.
Ajang assumed the office in 2018 after political amnesty from President Salva Kiir following an agreement witnessed both by government of South Sudan and Government of Uganda.
His problems started in November last year when ordered for blocking of over ten bank accounts of companies in Juba for evading tax. He said that the decision was intended to discourage tax evasion which had led to loss of more than 10 billion South Sudan pounds.
“We have locked those accounts, we have put a link and we have asked the banks to transfer the same to the account to the National Revenue Authority,” Ajang said during a press conference in Juba.
“We have so far saved some money to a tune of 10 billion South Sudanese pounds to about 4 or 5 or 6 or 10 companies. These are from different sectors, some of them are construction, general trading and airlines companies,” he added.
His decision did not auger well with owners of such accounts who are also the senior members of government, who immediately resorted to plotting for his outer.
The war against him started by ordering his dismissal which violates Civil Service Acts of 2011, and therefore resorted to his suspension on December 5 last year and later arrest.
The allegations presented against him are well cooked delusives aimed at distorting his incredible job in saving sinking economy, according to sources.
This regional authoritative news website has also exclusively learned that there is also a group working harder to bring him down and assume his position in NRA.
This group recently slapped unfounded charges against him using office of Vice President who heads the Economic Recovery committee.
The committee failed to get credible evidence against Ajang from the period 2019 to 2022 from when he assumed office and instead decided to bring charges against him that have been traced way back from 2013 to 2017 yet all what happened during this period (whether true or not) was catered for in the amnesty agreement Ajang signed with the Government.
It is alleged that among those behind his incarceration is the Deputy Commissioner General for NRA Africano Manday who accuses Ajang of being a close ally to the current Commissioner General, a Tanzanian national, whose contract will expire next month and Africano is reportedly fighting hard to replace him as the new Commissioner General.
“Africano wants Ajang to remain in Jail so that he does not help lobby for the Tanzanian to rewew the Contract extension,” a source at NRA told Plus News.
Early last week a group which was arrested along with Ajang and allied to Africano Monday was released after reportedly accepting to falsefully accuse Ajang without credible evidence. They were also arrested and detained to send a message that it was far from being a witch-hunt against Ajang.
It is however also not clear that that Ajang will be taken to court soon.
“The allegations of malpractices at NRA being preached by Ajang’s tormentors are a coverup to blackmail him and gets ejected from NRA. If there was any charges as claimed, there is nothing to justify his continuous detention at the NSS for God sake. Suspects are produced to Courts of law at a reasonable time, charges presented and his given opportunity to defend themselves,” added the Source.
We have also separately learned that Ajang Ajang Lino is critically ill after being torture by authorities at the NSS (ISB) detention facility.
“He is ill, frail and very sick. He rarely eats and could die if an immediate attention is not effected,” a source at NSS which preferred anonymity told this news website, adding that his tormentors ordered for his maltreatment.
Ajang’s continued illegal incarceration and torture leaves many questions unanswered including why the President, H.E Salva Kiir, who has been at the forefront of improving the country’s economy, is tight-lipped as a loyal servant towards this cause is being witch-hunted.
Taxes are the primary source of revenues for most governments which use them to improve and maintain public infrastructure, including the roads, and fund public services such as schools, emergency services, and welfare programs.
For several years, President Kiir has anticipated to upgrade the country’s current situation to be participatory, accountable, transparent, effective and efficient, equitable and inclusive and follow the rule of law. Fighting those evading taxes is one way of supporting this effort.