South Sudan\u2019s Office of the President has confirmed the arrest of several ex-Ministers, saying they are being investigated for taking part in an alleged coup plot.<\/p>\n
The presidency has confirmed that Oyai Deng Ajak, Gier Chuang, Majak d\u2019Agoot, and Madut Bair, among other ousted officials, are being held at the house of Inspector-General of Police Pieng Deng Kuol, as reported by Radio Tamazuj this morning.<\/p>\n
Others said to be at the house are Deng Alor, Kosti Manibe, Cirino Hiteng, John Luk and former Lakes governor Chol Tong Mayay.<\/p>\n
\u201cThis is about the law. Somebody violating the law should be investigated,\u201d said presidential spokesman Ateny Wek Ateny.<\/p>\n
Riek and Rebecca<\/strong><\/p>\n The spokesman told Radio Tamazuj that the whereabouts of former Vice-President Riek Machar are unknown at this time, saying it was not clear whether he had taken refuge or fled the city. <\/p>\n \u201cThere\u2019s no official confirmation as to whether he\u2019s left the city,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n Ateny downplayed the severity of clashes earlier in the day in the Amarat neighborhood where Riek\u2019s residence is located.<\/p>\n \u201cOne soldier who happened to be one of the body guards of Machar ran away and was surrounded, and the situation was controlled,\u201d he explained. <\/p>\n He acknowledged though that the vice-president\u2019s house had been searched.<\/p>\n The president\u2019s spokesman also denied that the government had sought the arrest of Rebecca Garang, widow of the founder of SPLM.<\/p>\n “Kiir categorically forbade her arrest,” said the spokesman.<\/p>\n The late John Garang\u2019s widow was a contender for the SPLM chairmanship in the recent internal party deliberations.<\/p>\n File photo: Former Vice-President Riek Machar (UN Photo)<\/em><\/p>\n <\/p>\n