Juba, South Sudan, 22 May 2021 – Journalist Koang Pal Chang has opened a civil case against South Sudan’s former Petroleum Minister Ezekiel Lol Gatkuoth accusing him of attempting to smuggle his kids out of the country.
According to reliable information received by Nyamilepedia, Mr. Chany said Gatkuoth took his children illegally for DNA test without his consent, asserting that the former minister was planning to steal his two kids to their mother identified as Nyapal Lul Yual, a South Sudanese musician based in Australia.
Chang recalled that in 2010 when Gatkuoth was the Head of Mission of Southern Sudan in the United States of America, Gatkuoth helped his wife Nyapal Lul Yual and other Southern Sudanese artists to obtain U.S. visas in order to enable them to mobilize the diaspora in the U.S. to vote for separation in 2011.
Chang said when his wife returned to South Sudan pregnant in 2013, he chased her away out of his home, but after his wife gave birth they reconciled once again despite what had happened. However, months later, his wife decided to travel to Australia citing that her life was in jeopardy in South Sudan.
In November last year, Gatkuoth took Mr. Chang’s 7 and 9 years old children for DNA tests without his permission.
“He just took a flight to Nairobi and went to my home through the help of my In-Law, and this In-Law of mine handed the kids over to Gatkuoth where he took them to a private clinic and their blood samples were taken for DNA testing. I was not aware of this,” Chang said.
He added that he came to learn later when his wife Nyapal Lul Yual who is now in Australia sent him results of DNA test, confirming to him that the two kids do not belong to him but they belong to Gatkuoth. Chang objected.
“I told her those are my kids, if there’s anyone claiming that they are his kids that person needs to go to court instead of running away with kids,” Chang said, responding to his wife Nyapal Lul via a text message.
Chang said he filed a case against Gatkuoth for committing adultery and attempting to smuggle his children to the diaspora, something Chang said is against the law and against child’s rights, adding that the guy should be behind bars.
Meanwhile, Gatkuoth was trying to resolve the case under the table fearing that the verdict may not end in his favor but Chang said “resolving the case out of the country will not help at all,” adding that “let us go to court and if any one of us is found guilty let the law take its course.”
When asked for comments, Nyapal Lul Yual, mother of the two minors denied getting involved in smuggling her children from their father adding that she does not communicate with Gatkuoth and she cannot take the kids because they are living in Nairobi under the custody of their father as divorce case is still on the desk of South Sudan court.
“What he said is not true, no communication like that between me and Ezekiel [Gatkuoth] Lol because I am in my house. I am not Ezekiel’s wife, all these are not true”, Yual said. When asked whether Gatkuoth is the biological father of her two children, Yual declined to answer and handed the phone over to someone identified as Abraham Garang, who claimed to be Yual’s husband.
While on phone, Mr. Garang said the two kids are the biological children of Gatkuoth. However, Garang downplayed any marital tie between Gatkuoth and Yual.
“The two children belong to Gatkuoth, former South Sudan Petroleum Minister biologically. He did DNA, he did everything and she was not his woman by then”, Garang said.
When contacted by Nyamilepedia, Gatkuoth dismissed Chang’s accusations, calling them “fake news” meant to soil his name.
Nyamilepedia tried to reach out for the views of presiding judges who began the divorce case of Chang and Yual. However, they declined to comment citing that they are not allowed to speak to the media.
