Sapana Abui, the Director General for Information and Compliance at the Media Authority, died late Saturday night at a hospital in Juba after a period of illness, his brother, the Rev. Repent Abraham Dominic, confirmed.

Rev. Abraham said Abui died at 11:48 p.m. on Saturday after receiving medical treatment for nearly two weeks.

“He passed away yesterday at 11:48 p.m.,” Rev. Abraham said in a telephone interview on Sunday. “He had been under treatment since June 23 until the day that he passed on.”

According to Rev. Abraham, Abui first developed complications related to high blood pressure on June 22. The following day, he reportedly collapsed twice, including once in a bathroom and again while being taken for treatment, sustaining injuries to his chest and neck.

He said Abui underwent medical examinations, including CT scans, before doctors performed surgery on June 27.

“He started recovering very well,” Rev. Abraham said. “He was removed from the intensive care unit to the general ward.”

However, he said Abui’s condition deteriorated several days later as his blood pressure remained persistently high despite treatment.

On Saturday, doctors carried out another CT scan, which, according to Rev. Abraham, showed that the operation had been successful and there were no abnormalities related to the surgery.

Later that evening, Abui became unconscious and was transferred back to the intensive care unit, where medical staff attempted to revive him without success.

Abui was a veteran public servant and politician with decades of experience in public administration, governance and media regulation. Before joining the Media Authority, he served as Deputy Governor of Western Equatoria State and concurrently as the State Minister of Commerce, Trade and Investment under the administration of former Governor Bangasi Joseph Bakosoro.

During his tenure, he also served as acting governor on several occasions. Prior to his political career, he worked with humanitarian organizations and was actively involved in church ministry, including contributing to the translation of the New Testament into his local language.

Paying tribute to his brother, Rev. Abraham described Abui as a mentor and a dedicated public servant who devoted his life to helping others.

“Sapana has a generous heart. He loved everyone and wanted everyone to succeed,” he said.

Rev. Abraham said Abui served in the church, contributed to the translation of the New Testament into their local language, worked with humanitarian organizations, served as a deputy governor, and later held senior leadership at the Media Authority.

“He can be remembered as a hero who did not segregate people and wanted everyone to succeed—his family, his community and the whole nation of South Sudan,” he said.

The Media Authority had not issued an official statement on Abui’s death by the time of publication, and funeral arrangements had not yet been announced.