Former Deputy Mayor of Juba City Council, Hon. Juma Moses, has accused Central Equatoria State security personnel of seizing his hotel room in a confrontation he describes as an act of harassment and intimidation.
According to Hon. Moses’s statement, the incident occurred on Monday at about 10:00am as he was preparing to attend an official handover of office. He says the operation followed a Facebook post by the Governor — published the previous evening at 8:40pm — that he believes precipitated the action.
“I resisted the unlawful harassment in a diplomatic manner,” Hon. Moses said. He added that both he and fellow politician Hon. Thiik Thiik Mayardit were targeted. He alleges the individuals involved were “hired and influenced by the state leadership” and that, after confronting him, the personnel went on to ask for Hon. Thiik’s residence.
Hon. Moses has named Governor Rabi Mujung and his associates in the statement, saying the state leadership must be held accountable. “As these threats and acts of intimidation against me and my family continue, I make this matter public and urge the relevant authorities and security agencies to intervene to prevent further escalation,” he said. He warned that “if anything happens to either of us, the Central Equatoria State leadership under Governor Rabi Mujung will be responsible,” adding that as head of state security the governor cannot plausibly be unaware of such actions.
Despite the allegations, Hon. Moses emphasised his ongoing commitment to the rule of law. “My commitment remains for rule of law, peace, unity and good governance for effective services,” he said, while also reserving his legal right to defend himself and his family.
The former deputy mayor’s statement raises immediate questions about the conduct of state security forces, the chain of command for operations targeting political figures, and the protection of civic and political rights during transitions. It is also likely to prompt calls for an independent inquiry into the events and any possible misuse of state security resources for political ends.
