Steven Kay, the British lawyer behind the declassified investigative report - Credit: Office of the President - April 1, 2022

Queen Counsel, Steven Kay, last week described as ‘fake news’ the allegations about $1.7 million purported to have been paid to his company as legal fees to investigate what transpired in 2013 and 2016 conflicts.

Responding to a question of how much money his company received in legal fees, Kay simply brushes aside the question saying that responding to it will be giving respect or legitimacy to something that is a lie.

“I don’t answer questions or respond to fake news because quite frankly to give respect to something that is a lie is not right, is not the right thing to do”, said Kay.

Since the report was made public, South Sudanese online have continued to accuse Kay’s company, 9BR to have received one –point- seven million dollars in legal fees to author the report about the 2013-2016 conflicts.

However, there is no documentary evidence shared by those advancing the theory about the $1.7 million payout.

During the presser in Juba, last Friday, Kay criticized journalists and media houses that might have published the purported allegations of the $1.7 million to stick to the truth-telling.

“I suggest journalists themselves who publish should go and look at themselves, look at their training, look at their motivations, look at their claim source and look at whether they can be respected as journalists because the public relies on journalism, to tell the truth.

He stressed that journalism is a noble duty therefore, journalists must speak the truth, tell the truth, and respect the truth otherwise, it will be wrong for a journalist to subvert the truth.

“It is an important duty, but to have it subverted is bad. So why, while you might clammer for press freedom, press freedoms are privileges as well to be able to address people and talk about other people such as me, that is a privilege so talk the truth and respect the truth don’t make the stories and I do suggest that the editor of that newspaper start having a regulatory overhaul of what is published,” said, Kay

Kay is the author of pushing the reset button for South Sudan, currently a public document that has ignited debates and discussions among South Sudanese of all walks of life.

Kay was speaking to journalists in Juba on Friday, April 1, 2022.