By Bida Elly David
Sudan People Liberation Movement-In Opposition (SPLM-IO) party will officially respond on the recent suspension of its lawmaker, Juol Nhomngek from the parliament.
The first deputy speaker of the Reconstituted National Assembly (R-TNLA), Nathaniel Oyet, has noted in a report extended to SPLM-IO political bureau.
In the report dated 1-5-2023, the first deputy speaker noted that a criminal offence or allegation against any lawmaker or speaker of a parliament is supposed to finish in the court of law since it is an allegation against individual not the house.
“Corruption is a criminal act of dishonest, fraudulent act of an individual or organization using entrusted authority or power to make personal gain or other unethical or illegal benefits. If the Rt. Hon. Speaker or anybody in the leadership of TNLA is involved in any act of the corruption, such should be proven with evidence and prosecuted in a competent court of law,” he said
Nathaniel said that national and international bills of rights specify rights and obligations of all persons under the law, noting that nobody overpowers the law.
Quoting Article 29 of the Universal Declaration of Human rights (1948) Nathaniel said that everyone enjoying rights has the duty and obligation to respect the rights and freedom of others for full enjoyment of human rights.
“You have duties towards the community within which your personality can fully develop. The law should not guarantee human rights. It should allow everyone to respect others and to be respected,” he said.
The first deputy speaker in his statement seemed to be neutral in judging neither the conduct of the speaker nor the suspended lawmaker under SPLM-IO docket which happens to be his own party.
Nathaniel opinionated that the suspended lawmaker would have seized the opportunity of the Adhoc committee to substantiate the allegations he made against Nunu for judicial process.
“It is my considered opinion that Hon. Juol Nyomngek should have seized the opportunity of the ad hoc committee to substantiate all the allegations of corruption he has labeled against Rt. Hon. Speaker Jemma Nunu Kumba of the TNLA for judicial process to commence its course.”
Rt. Hon Nathaniel concluded that the battle between speaker Nunu and Hon. Juol would have been meaningful and genuine if the court has handled the matter through legal ruling.
Recently, Hon. Juol Nhomngek was suspended by speaker Nunu over claims of defamation and false accusations but the MP who represents Cueibet County of Lakes state in the national assembly refuted his dismissal and threatened to take legal suit against the speaker.
Juol stood in his point of defining the speaker corrupt and unethical in running the administration of the parliament as the rate of discrimination and egoism remains the conduct of the day.
However, the narrative presented by the first deputy speaker before the SPLM-IO political bureau will digest the nature of the accusations and driver their conclusion on act of the speaker over the suspension.