Former judge Geri Raimondo speaks on Eye Radio's Sundown Show. July 31st, 2023. (Photo: Lou Nelson).

Legal expert Geri Raimondo has called on the government to either hand over a recently deported Congolese national to the Democratic Republic of Congo’s Embassy in Juba or subject him to legal proceedings under South Sudanese and East African Community (EAC) laws.

The call comes after the arrival of Makula Kintu, a Congolese national deported by the Trump administration, who landed at Juba International Airport on Wednesday, April 9.

Kintu had entered the country using South Sudanese travel documents under the name Nimeri Garang, sparking an identity crisis and diplomatic tension between Juba and Washington.

Upon arrival at Juba International Airport, immigration authorities determined that Kintu was not a South Sudanese citizen, but a member of the Ema tribe from North Kivu Province in the Democratic Republic of Congo.

Speaking to Eye Radio on Wednesday morning, Raimondo said the case should be handled in accordance with the East African Community Common Market Protocol.

“My advice to the Minister of Interior is to handle this issue according to East African Community regulations,” Raimondo said.

“This person is a citizen of a partner state, and they have their house here—the Embassy of the Democratic Republic of Congo in Juba. Let them just meet the Ambassador and handle this person.”

He added that if investigations find Kintu to have committed any crimes, South Sudanese law must take precedence, in line with Article 7 of the EAC Common Market Protocol, which stipulates that any individual committing a crime in a member state is subject to that country’s legal system.

“If the individual has committed a crime, then it is subject to the laws of South Sudan,” Raimondo explained.

“We will handle him as our citizen because they are part of the East African Community. The crime he committed is also tribal in South Sudan. We have Section 7, we have Section 6 of our Penal Code—we can act accordingly.”

The controversy surrounding Kintu’s identity and presence in South Sudan continues to stir debate, raising questions about documentation fraud, deportation protocols, and cross-border legal cooperation within the EAC bloc.

So far, the government has not issued an official statement on the next steps regarding Kintu’s status or potential legal proceedings.