Nov 23, 2020(Nyamilepedia) — Two students who were dismissed from Juba University last month for organizing students’ demonstrations are allegedly being threatened by some security officials over the lawsuit they filed against the university.
The students claimed to have been called by members of the National Security Service asking them to suspend their lawsuits and leave the country to avoid the risk they said will be associated with it.
“I was threatened seriously, that if I don’t leave Juba, I will be apprehended and they will ensure that I will not be out on bail, because ‘It is you now who is planning for protests’,” one of the students told a local radio station.
The student said that they received the messages through their friend who warned them to leave town.
When the Vice-Chancellor Prof John Akec was contacted about the issue, he said that he was not aware of the threats adding that the institution is responding to the case through their advocate.
“…but those who have been dismissed have an advocate who has filed the case and we are responding to that. So, allow the due process,” he added.
The students were dismissed together with twelve others for leading in the demonstrations after the school increased tuition fees and denied entry to students with fees arrears.
They argued that they cannot pay between 80,000 and 90,000 pounds admission fee due to the economic hardships.
Following the demonstrations that spiraled out of hands, the administration suspended 15 students, and fined others for “creating unrest” on the campus.
Some of the students did not take the dismissal well and decided to challenge the decision in court.
