Lakes State releases corruption whistleblower on bail

Authorities in Lakes State have granted free bail to a county education supervisor arrested for exposing alleged corruption practices within the system.

Mager Achiengwei, the former Lekakudu Payam Education Supervisor in Yirol East County told The City Review that he was released on bail after no substantial charges were brought against him.

“They released me but they did not release me completely. I will be reporting to the station daily,” he said.

Mr Achiengwei was arrested in late January 2022 for reporting suspicious financial practices by the county’s education authorities, including the alleged misappropriation of the Girl Education South Sudan (GESS) funds.

“He was arrested in the morning (on Tuesday) after being called by the director-general to receive the incentives for one of the teachers. He was detained by the state security in Rumbek,” a source who preferred not to be identified for security reasons told The City Review in January.

Prior to the arrest and detention, the Lakes State Minister of General Education and Instruction, Kongor Deng Kongor, said he was seized with the matter and that he was seeking evidence to prove the allegations.

In the second half of January, Mr Kongor reshuffled the county education directors, including Yirol East County Education Director, Sabino Mabor Aleng, against whom the allegations were made, to pave ways for investigations.

But the minister later dropped the investigation process, accusing the whistleblower of reporting the issue to the media instead of resolving it internally, the same reason for which he was detained.

The City Review established that Mager, the whistleblower, was released on free bail after those who accused him failed to show up to file their case.

Mager thanked the State security officials for being professional by not subjecting him to harassment and torture.

“They were very good people. They did not beat me, all they said was that I should go home because people who accused me failed to come to their office,” he said.