Juba, South Sudan
June 9th, 2021 – Deputy Mayor of Juba City Council Thiik Thiik Mayardit has dismissed media reports claiming that the soldiers who physically assaulted the managerial staff of the Vigilance Security Services company acted on his directive.
Mr. Thiik says earlier media reports that implicated him in the incident were “mere fabrications” from newsrooms that do not verify the authenticity of social media content.
This comes after graphic pictures of two injured foreign staff members believed to be at the company’s top managerial positions flooded social media. The two men who are speculated to be British nationals could be seen bleeding from the heads.
In a statement seen by Nyamilepedia, Thiik accused reputable news organizations of endorsing and publishing unverified reports.
“I wanted to put it categorically clear that the purported photos of British citizens who are alleged to have been beaten up by me or say by the people I have instructed as reported by both Eye Radio and Radio Tamazuj is not only a fabrication but also a great damage to my personality”, Thiik wrote on his Facebook official page.
Thiik said he is just an “ordinary citizen” whose view cannot victimize anyone in the country whether national or foreigner adding that he neither has nor command forces to target people.
“First of all, I have no forces in whatever military institution who can beat people per my instruction. I am a normal citizen whose views can’t jeopardize any citizen living in this country be it a South Sudanese or any foreigner”, he said.
“It’s also to the best of my knowledge that I have no any associates with VSS company from its management to the board of directors,” he added.
The incident comes a few days after Thiik said he was implicated in an internal misunderstanding between VSS and its national employees, whose concerns were not being addressed by the company. Nyamilepedia reported earlier.
“These recent rampant implications on the notion that connects me with VSS activities following its disagreement with its workers on wages related issues is a clear provocation that will allow me to act legally”, Thiik threatened.
Mr. Thiik said he is a good friend to the British who acknowledges the great role played by the British saying he has no single reason to target them.
“I have opened a case now to clear my name against all parties that involved and continued to make lies about my name,” Thiik said.
“I am a typical supporter of [the] British government and its work toward the people of South Sudan and I should be the last person to do anything wrong against British citizens living in South Sudan”, he reiterated.
He also appealed to the public not only to disregard the information but also to condemn it for the betterment of the country’s image.
Thiik Thiik Mayardit is a son to a brother of President Salva Kiir Mayardit renowned for aggressive advocacy for the rights of national employees reporting mistreatment at foreign-owned companies, especially in Juba.
