August 7, 2020 (Nyamilepedia) – South Sudan Vice President Taban Deng Gai has threatened to sue a Ruweng State MP who last month accused Taban Deng of involvement in attacks against civilians in Ruweng Administrative Area.
Mary Ayen Majok, a member of the Transitional National Legislative Assembly (TNLA), last month said Taban was aiding militias in Guit county of Unity state to carry out attacks against civilians in several villages in Ruweng.
In a letter addressed to Ms. Ayen, Kiirdit & CO. Advocate on behalf of the vice president Taban said comment Ms. Ayuen made to social media outlets were false and tantamount to defamation against the vice-president.
“As you are aware that in or around 25th day of May of 2020, you published defamatory articles in social media including Facebook, [Hot in Juba] and the National Courier in which you alleged that our client, (Taban Deng Gai) was responsible or behind the ongoing massacre of civilians in Ruweng Administrative Area by the regular forces and armed youth from Unity state,” the letter seen by Nyamilepedia partly reads.
The letter said the Lawmaker has seven days to come out on the media and admit that the information she made against the vice president were false and that she must apologize to avoid lawsuit.
“We take this to be an act with sole intention of bringing our client into hatred, contempt and ridicule in the eyes of the right thinking men/women. By this notice, we are giving you strict seven days from the date hereof within which to declare publicly that such statement was false or to make an offer of amends that is to make a suitable correction of the statement complained of and a sufficient apology to our client and to publish the correction and apologize in a manner that is reasonable and practicable in the circumstance,” the letter said.
It further warned that failure “to comply, with this notice, we shall have no option but to institute a legal proceedings against you without the benefit of any further warning.”
