The Juvenile Court in Juba has served a female Kenyan teacher with a five-year jail term for molesting a three-year-old schoolgirl. Continue reading “Court sentences foreign teacher to 5yrs in prison for molesting todler”
Author: Memoscar Lasuba
Mayor Allah-jabu outlaws Jonglei traditional courts in Juba
The Mayor of Juba City Council has banned the institution of Jonglei state traditional courts in the town and ordered for their immediate closure.
Michael Lado Thomas Allah Jabu issued the order on Tuesday.
The order states that the Rajaf ‘B’ Court Bor court, and its affiliates at the Bank of River Nile, Mangaten 107, are not applicable within the jurisdiction of the city council as stipulated in the South Sudan Local Government Act, 2009.
“This order is issued for closer of unauthorized operation of the traditional court under Jonglei State (Bor) in the garden area, MTC along the Bank of the River Nile, Mangaten 107 areas, Khor-William and other areas within the city council,” the statement read.
Allah Jabu warns of arrest and legal measures against those illegally promoting operations of customary law courts within the environs of Juba City Council.
He has now given the unauthorized courts seven days to remove their facilities or else face forced demolition.
The city Mayor has also instructed Block Councils of Juba, Kator, and Munuki administrative units, the law enforcement agencies, and the sector commanders to ensure the local order is implemented in letter and spirit.
India halts production of syrup linked to Gambia deaths
The authorities in India have ordered a pharmaceutical company to stop producing cough syrups after reports that they may be linked to the deaths of dozens of children in The Gambia.
The health minister in Haryana state, Anil Vij, said inspections at a factory of Maiden Pharmaceuticals found several violations of good practices.
The World Health Organization last week said the medicines produced by the company had unacceptable amounts of chemical substances that can cause kidney damage.
Officials in The Gambia say they are investigating the deaths of 66 children which are linked to four brands of cough syrups imported from India.
Maiden Pharmaceuticals last week said it was shocked and saddened by the incident and they were co-operating with an investigation
SSFA, Juba Football Association at loggerheads over city stadium status
A dispute has emerged over the ownership of the Juba National stadium between the Juba Local Football Association and the South Sudan Football Association.
On Tuesday, the Juba local football association suspended its activities following a feud with the South Sudan Football Association about the ownership of the eastern part of the stadium.
Juba National stadium was previously owned by the Central Equatoria Ministry of Youth and Sport.
But in 2018, the ministry transferred it to the Juba Local football association with aim of transferring it to the South Sudan Football Association.
In the same year, the Juba Local football association transferred its ownership to the South Sudan football association for 20 years.
The Vice President of the South Sudan Football Association, Charles Oduar explained the transfer procedures to Eye Radio on Tuesday.
“We have a document from Juba Local Football Association dated 8 May 2018 transferring Juba National Stadium to the South Sudan Football Association.”
Oduar questioned the rationale behind the argument of the Juba Local Football Association claiming the eastern part of juba stadium belongs to them, when the entire football association, SSFA is in control of the facility until 20 years.
“All the stadium belongs to them but for 20 years we are in control as the South Sudan football association until 20 years then we will give it back to them, and probably they will also give it back to the Ministry of Youth and Sports.”
17 people confirmed dead in Fashoda attack
At least seventeen people have been confirmed dead in Fashoda County of Upper Nile State following the recent attack in several villages in the area over the weekend, according to the Commissioner.
Joseph Aban says the victims mostly elderly people were killed in their houses in Bodh, Nyigir Pabor, Pathow, and Padid villages.
“Regarding the death cases, the number is high, but we did not count them all. we confirmed now is about 16 elderly people who got killed in their houses including a child, 8 years,” Aban told Eye Radio from Kodok, the headquarters of Fashoda County Wednesday.
He says the figure could be higher as many people have gone missing for days now.
“We are still counting the number because there are some people who are missing.”
Although calm has returned to the area, Aban says the humanitarian situation there is dire.
“The humanitarian situation is very bad, it is seriously terrible for them because everybody ran away without food and clothes,” said Aban.
“So, they need shelters and food, and I’m calling to the humanitarian organizations to rescue the situation because a human being cannot sleep in the rain and sun without food,” he appealed.
On Tuesday, the UN Office for Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs stated in a statement that about 8,000 civilians have been displaced in Fashoda County of Upper Nile by the violence.
USAID provides humanitarian assistance to displaced persons in Upper Nile
The United States Agency for International Development says it is assisting internally displaced persons who fled violence in Tonga and Panyikang areas in Upper Nile with food and non-food items.
In a post on its official social media page Wednesday, USAID says that the recent fighting between armed groups in Tonga and Panyikang County in Upper Nile has displaced tens of thousands of civilians from the areas.
“We’re assisting IDPs with shelter, food, medicine & water, sanitation & hygiene,” the statement read.
According to USAID, with about 50,000 internally displaced persons in the PoC site there, overcrowding exacerbates disease outbreak risks.
The agency said its team visited Malakal to monitor humanitarian assistance in and around the protection site in the area.
Its statement comes a day after the U.S. Ambassador to South Sudan said he was in Malakal town last Thursday, where he met with residents, USAID implementing partners, and UNMISS personnel.
Ambassador Adler also visited medical facilities and a food warehouse supported by U.S. assistance.
The Ambassador also visited sites where victims of sexual exploitation and gender-based violence receive assistance and are learning income-generating skills.
During his visit, Adler discussed efforts to provide aid to those displaced by severe subnational violence in Upper Nile and the sustained multi-year flooding.
In a statement sent to Eye Radio newsroom, the U.S diplomat also called on the government of South Sudan to improve the security conditions in Upper Nile state.
The restive state has experienced a series of violence, particularly in Malakal, Panykang, and Fashoda Counties allegedly perpetrated by militias believed to be loyal to General Simon Gatwech.
Uganda Ebola Outbreak: First death recorded in Kampala
An Ebola patient has died at a hospital in Uganda’s capital, the health ministry has confirmed. Continue reading “Uganda Ebola Outbreak: First death recorded in Kampala”
The Gambia: Police investigate deaths linked to Indian cough syrup
By Omar Wally
Banjul, The Gambia
Police in The Gambia are investigating the deaths of 66 children, which have been linked to four brands of imported Indian cough syrup.
Senior officials from the Medicine Control Agency and the importers have been called for questioning, the president’s office said.
President Adama Barrow said that the authorities would “leave no stone unturned” in the investigation.
Gambians, angry about what happened, are wondering who is to blame.
On Wednesday, the World Health Organization (WHO) issued a global alert over the four cough syrups – warning they could be linked to acute kidney injuries and the children’s deaths in July, August and September.
Bereaved parents have told the BBC how their children stopped being able to pass urine after being given the syrups. As their condition worsened, efforts to save their lives were fruitless.
The products – Promethazine Oral Solution, Kofexmalin Baby Cough Syrup, Makoff Baby Cough Syrup and Magrip N Cold Syrup – were manufactured by an Indian company, Maiden Pharmaceuticals, which had failed to provide guarantees about their safety, the WHO said.
The Indian government is also investigating the situation. The firm has not responded to a BBC request for comment.
But in a comment to the ANI news agency Maiden said it was shocked and saddened over the incident. The company said it followed Indian health protocols and was co-operating with an investigation.
Gambian health officials and Red Cross workers are now going door to door, as well as to pharmacies and markets, searching for syrups as well as other medicines.
More than 16,000 products have been located so far and have been taken away for destruction, a Red Cross official told the BBC.
On Friday, President Barrow addressed the nation, expressing his regret for the loss of life saying that “the source of the contaminated drugs” would be investigated.
He announced plans to open a laboratory capable of testing whether medicines are safe and a review of relevant laws and guidelines for imported drugs.
He also said that “the child mortality figure of 66 is not at much variance with the recorded data for similar periods in the past”, which left some wondering whether the authorities thought that these deaths were unusual.
The president followed this up on Saturday evening with a more robust statement, suspending the license of the suspected importer and announcing the police investigation.
Some of the parents who lost their children have told the BBC that they are considering taking legal action of their own against the authorities.
Patient suspected of Ebola didn’t die from the disease – official
The test result of a man who died in Juba after presenting Ebola Virus-like signs and symptoms has proved negative for the disease, according to health authorities. Continue reading “Patient suspected of Ebola didn’t die from the disease – official”
NSS vows to prosecute indiscipline officers
The National Security Service vowed to take disciplinary action against its officers who take the law into their hands. Continue reading “NSS vows to prosecute indiscipline officers”
