Court slaps subversion charges on former governor Aguer

The High Court has preferred subversion charges on Kuel Aguer Kuel the former governor of Northern Bahr El Ghazal State.

This was revealed Friday by Aguer’s lawyer Kiir Chol Deng who told the Juba Echo that court based on the fact that his client had signed declaration by the People’s Coalition for Civil Action (PCCA) urging mass demonstrations against “bad” leadership of the current government.

“Kuel Aguer has been charged with almost 8 counts, they are 8 charges, the most serious one is under section 66 of penal code that is overthrowing a constitutional government by unconstitional means,” said Deng in Juba.

Aguer was arraigned in court last week and journalists were barred from recording the hearing.

The accussed was detained by national security services in August 2021 after signing a declaration by the PCCA.

Subversion is the attempt to weaken or destroy a political system or a government.

“We are saying the accused (Aguer) did not commit any offense because the accused was exercising his constitutional right that is freedom of expression and opinion, and also they were exercising the right of freedom of assembly and associations, these are constitutional rights available to any citizen in this country,” said Deng.

Aguer’s colleague Abraham Awolic, a researcher with the Juba-based Suddi institute think tank fled the country after being trailed by security agencies.

Hearing of the case is set to resume on October 24.