A court in Juba has on Wednesday suspended activities of Juba Monitor Newspaper over allegations of malpractices until final court disposal.
It also suspended the activities of Grand Media Africa Company Limited.
A court order seen by Eye Radio reads: “Freezing of all Juba Monitor Bank Accounts and the newspapers activities. Appointment of three administrators, 2 from plaintiff and defendant and 1 from court to observe assets of Company and Newspaper.”
Becu Pitia Lagu, the family lawyer of the late Alfred Taban Logune, told Eye Radio that the suspension came after the family who is the heir to the properties of late Alfred Taban Logune had a dispute with the company over the sharing of resources.
The family allegedly applied for restrictions which were granted by the court until the final ruling was made.
The family also alleged that Grand Africa Media is not running Juba Monitor Newspaper as anticipated citing irregularities and sidelining some shareholders.
They asked the court to intervene in order to bring to an end the said malpractices until the final disposal of the case.
The court also formed a three member committee with representation from both parties and the court to take care of the properties of the company and Juba Monitor until the final decision.
“The court ruled out the preliminary injunctions made by the family of heirs of late Alfred Taban Longune,” Becu told Eye Radio on Wednesday.
“In short, talking about the suspension of all the activities of Grand Africa Media Company Limited and Juba Monitor and the investigation of all its properties until the final disposal of the case.
“The court orders formation of three men committee, one from the side of the family heirs of Alfred Taban Longune and the other one from the Grand Media Limited and the third one to be appointed by the court to take care of the property of the company and Juba Monitor until the final disposal of the case.”
“The family is claiming that Africa Grand Media is not running Juba Monitor the way the anticipated and there are some irregularities and sidelining of other shareholders and therefore they are seeking the intervention of the court to stop all these malpractices.”
But when contacted by Eye Radio, Anna Namiriano, Juba Monitor’s Editor in Chief terms the suspension unofficial because she says they were not served with copies of the suspension documents.
The next court session is set to be on April 25, 2022.