Three leaders of the strike that culminated into protests in Bor, before their arrest | Courtesy.

Jonglei Police Commissioner has said the missing leaders of the state workers union, previously detained a week ago, have escaped from detention with the help of police officers on duty.

David Mayen Deng, Samuel Majier Looch and Ruben Matiop Mayol were arrested while leading protests demanding the payment of five-month salary arrears in Bor town on August 12.

The three men are chairperson of Workers’ Trade Union, secretary general of Workers’ Trade Union, and chairperson of Teachers’ Union respectively.

Speaking to Eye Radio on Saturday, Major General Elia Costa, said the union leaders escaped from unnamed police officer who had escorted them to eat in the market.

“They were in the police custody for further investigations, and when the police took them to go and eat outside in the market, from there they disappeared,” Major General Elia Costa said.

He also dismissed rumors that the trio had transferred to Juba for further detention.

“They were not taken to Juba, but they ran away from the police custody maybe with the support from our police personnel who were on duty that day,” he said.

General Costa said police have launched another manhunt to arrest of the fugitive union leaders for escaping from custody.

“So, we have opened another case against them for disappearing from the police custody and we are searching for them to arrest them.”

Meanwhile, the wife of one of the protest leaders called on the government to disclose the whereabouts of her husband and his colleagues, on Saturday.

Nyangong Got Ayuen, wife to Samuel Majier Looch, threatened to take the state government to court, should it fail to produce her husband by Monday.