The President of the Seventh Day Adventist in South Sudan has refuted claims by a member of parliament, who said that he burnt a church in Gogrial East in Warrap because it was harboring prostitution. 
On October 31, lawmaker Salva Mathok said he burnt down the house of worship – in an incident that received mixed public reactions, and condemnation from civil society and law professionals.
Reacting to the allegations, Dr. Clement Joseph the leader of the Adventists in the country termed Mathok’s argument as baseless and unfounded.
“We cannot force him to apologize but should he decide to apologize, that will be in order because that is a Christian way of doing things,” he said.
The religious leader criticized the lawmaker’s decision saying, he did not live up to his honorable tittle.
However, Dr. Clement said despite the issue, the church hold no grudges against him, and should he apologize, the church will welcome it.
“He will still be our friend, we will eat with him in the same plate, so we have no grudges against him. We love him, he is a South Sudanese with a very honorable title. He is a member of Transitional National Legislative Assembly.”
“As a member of that honor, he should have respected his office not to lower himself into burning a Church like that. To me I feel even himself as an honorable, he should have behaved a little bit differently but regardless of that, what has happened has happened. We are going to take the necessary steps.”
Following the church burning, Ter Manyang Gatwech, the Executive Director of the Center for Peace and Advocacy Organization said the act is illegal according to the law.
Law Professor and former judge Dr. Geri Raimondo, also condemned the incident and said lawmaker Mathok violated the constitution.