By Bosco Bush
Chairperson of the Central Equatoria State (CES) Chamber of Commerce, Robert Pitia, has been arrested by the Criminal Investigation Department (CID), according to a family member.
Stephen Wani Aquilino, a colleague, reported that Pitia went missing on Monday afternoon and was later found in custody at the CES Police Headquarters.
“I got information yesterday (Monday) around a quarter to 2 pm that Mr. Robert Pitia was arrested by security forces,” Aquilino said. “The whole of yesterday (Monday) we were looking for his whereabouts. We searched in so many places like the Libya Police Station in Munuki, the office of CID, the Operations, and 777 office. But we didn’t get him until 10 in the evening where we confirmed that he was arrested and detained in Police Headquarters of Central Equatoria State under CID.”
According to Aquilino, Pitia’s arrest was the result of a defamation case filed against him by a company called Statement Solution.
“He was arrested by one of the Company’s Representatives that he is tarnishing the image of the Company, or speaking ill of the Company that’s why he was arrested,” Aquilino explained.
Aquilino alleges that Pitia’s arrest was related to his work questioning the company’s interference in collecting taxes from traders.
“There’s a digital company called Statement Solution, this company is working hand-in-hand with Juba City Council. The Company interferes in collecting taxes from the traders,” Aquilino said. “And, they are supposed to collect what is in their mandate not beyond the mandate of City Council. He was speaking in that angle. He spoke on his line of duty actually.”
The main concern is that Pitia is being detained in a different police station than where the case was filed.
The story is still developing, and further details are expected to emerge in the coming days.