Commissioner Duk Guot is being accused of demarcating and allotting their land to buyers without consultations/Courtesy photo.

The Commissioner of Renk County has been sued after a community accused him of demarcating and allotting their land to buyers without consultations.

The Maan-Ngok Community say the piece of land estimated to be more than 10,000 square meters, has been distributed by Commissioner Duk Guot for the construction of 400 shops in Jima market.

According to a representative of the Maan-Ngok community, the Commissioner sold half of the land that belongs to them by unilaterally allocating it to investors.

“We as a community decided to open a case against the commissioner, the information we received is that they demarcated 860 plots for the construction of shops, and he said this is allocated to 400 shops,” said Gier Akol.

“The authorities do not have the right to take 50 percent of the land. If it is 400 plots, let them take 10 percent and give us our plots. So, we have opened a case against the Commissioner,” he added.

Lawyer Kaman Yor representing the Maan-Ngok community said the Commissioner overstepped his mandate on laws governing community land.

“The Commissioner violated the articles of the constitution of South Sudan which stipulates that the land belongs to the community, and this land which is being argued in the court belongs to the community of Maan-Ngok,” lawyer Kaman Yor told Eye Radio from Renk town on Thursday.

“Actually, the land dispute happened over an area located at the eastern part of the grain storage in Renk County. It is a well-known market called Jima.”

In response to the allegations, Commissioner Duk Guot said prior consultations were conducted with the Maan-Ngok community.

He claimed those opposing the process are individuals who do not represent the views of the wider Maan-Ngok community.

“The community is with us on this matter, they agreed to it. We have consulted 100 percent, but only one person is doing is creating this problem against the wishes of his community. This person is called Gier, we gave them 30 plots of shops -4 by 4 meters, and all the chiefs are with us. There is nothing to it,” Commissioner Guot maintained.

The case is being presided over by Deng Malual, the judge of the high court in Renk.