The ruling Sudan People's Liberation Movement (SPLM) in Eastern Equatoria State has demanded that authorities clarify the whereabouts of its Kapoeta South County secretary, Alex Lothian, and another man, Matthew Loteyo. The two men were reportedly arrested by South Sudan People's Defence Forces (SSPDF) soldiers in Kapoeta on October 30. According to reports, they were arrested at Junction Inn Hotel in Kapoeta town around midnight while socialising.
The disappearance of Lothian and Loteyo has prompted concern among political leaders, women’s representatives, and community members, who have called on authorities to establish what happened to the two men. Emmanuel Ephone Lolimo, the SPLM's secretary for mobilisation in Eastern Equatoria, expressed concern over conflicting accounts of the men’s whereabouts. He stated that military personnel had informed the party that the two men were released on the night of their arrest, but their current location remained unknown.
Lolimo urged the relevant authorities to disclose the men’s whereabouts, ensure their safety, and respect their fundamental rights. He called for their immediate release if there were no lawful grounds for their continued detention, or for them to be brought before a competent court if they were suspected of committing an offence. Lolimo also stated that the arrest did not appear to be connected to a recent incident in Nakeke, Kapoeta South County.
Kapoeta Municipal Council Mayor Lotede Lomuria Abraham said he had made inquiries after receiving reports of the men’s arrest. According to Abraham, soldiers acknowledged arresting the two men during night patrols but said they had released them after establishing their identities. The mayor said efforts to establish their whereabouts had continued without a clear answer.
Abraham rejected broader allegations of abductions in Kapoeta town, saying the two men were the only missing persons reported to his office at the time. He described the general security situation in Kapoeta as calm, saying markets remained open and residents continued with their daily activities. Meanwhile, Eunice Nakwar Paul, chairlady of the Toposa Women’s Association, expressed distress over the disappearance, appealing to the government, security authorities, and community leaders to intervene and provide information about the two men.
Nakwar said the families had been left without clear information about what had happened to their relatives and called on authorities to explain the circumstances surrounding their reported arrest. She urged authorities to provide clarity on the men's status, saying, "We want to see them. If they are alive, they have to tell us. If they are not, they have to tell us so that we know."
The SSPDF in Kapoeta could not immediately be reached for comment. The incident has raised concerns about the rule of law and human rights in the region.
Key points
- The SPLM has demanded that authorities clarify the whereabouts of its Kapoeta South County secretary, Alex Lothian, and another man, Matthew Loteyo.
- The two men were reportedly arrested by SSPDF soldiers in Kapoeta on October 30.
- Authorities have been urged to disclose the men’s whereabouts, ensure their safety, and respect their fundamental rights.
