Marial Macuei Mading, Mayor Apac, James Malith Malual, and Daniel Deng Mabor also to be compensated for illegal detention/Courtesy

Rumbek high court has ordered Lakes State General Education Minister to reinstate the four teachers he sacked last year and compensate each 325 thousand pounds for illegal detention as well as pay their salaries for the period they were out of jobs.

They include; Marial Macuei Mading, Mayor Apac, James Malith Malual, and Daniel Deng Mabor.

They were among 20 teachers detained in military barracks, but later 16 were released, leaving four of them in detention.

They were accused of inciting teachers to reject salary payments in protest against unpaid arrears.

But in August last year,  the court found them not guilty and freed them after they spent two months in Jail.

However, weeks after the verdict, General Education Minister Nelson Makoi Makur with the recommendation of Director General, James Marer Aluel terminated their services, citing they committed gross misconduct.

The move prompted the teachers to sue the Minister over the decision.

Yesterday, the high court in Rumbek ordered their reinstation and reparation of 325 thousand South Sudanese Pounds each for the period they spent in detention.

“The first thing that was done is reinstatement to their jobs and they have been awarded their salaries from the date of their dismissal to the date when the court ruled,” said lawyer Malith Jockthian who represented the teachers.

Besides, Jockthian said: “They [teachers] are compensated for the days that they have been detained unlawfully.

Emmanuel Mapuor Mabor, the spokesperson of the teachers confirmed the verdict, describing the judge as a reputable person.

“They received the announcement warmly because this was not our expectation that we received this amount yesterday [on Tuesday],

‘He is a reputable judge, we are very happy and it is a pleasure to all South Sudanese and Rumbek in particular and the media, ” he said.