By Bida Elly David
Family representative of victims of the South Supreme plane crash in Pieri expresses shock and unhappiness over the release of businessman Ayii Duang Ayii from jail.
Embattled South Sudanese businessman and owner of South Supreme Airline, Mr. Ayii, was released on Tuesday from Juba Central Prison after spending three weeks.
The boss of South Supreme Airline was arrested early this month after he failed to pay the victims the compensation money as ordered by the court.
Makuei Puk, a victim’s family member said the decision to release Ayii was not fair given that the court had stated that he wouldn’t be released until a final verdict was made.
“There was no official document presented to us as a family saying that Ayi was released by the supreme high justice of the Supreme Court,” Puk said.
Upon his release, Ayii said he is ready to pay compensation for the victims of the plane crash, on condition that the black box is brought to determine the cause of the incident.
But Mr. Puk disregarded Ayii’s claims, noting that justice must prevail.
He claimed that the National Ministry of Transport has formed a committee to probe the matter, and in their findings, they found that the company was not insured.
“On the issue of the black box, the Ministry of Transport and the government of South Sudan sent a committee on the real insurance of that company; the company doesn’t actually have insurance,” he said.
Mr. Puk furiously stated that freeing Ayi without their consent was an indication of injustice against the family and the country’s laws.
The defense lawyer of the victim’s family, Nyok Kuol Nyok, condemned the release of caged businessman Ayii after the court of appeals resolved to keep him in jail until the final ruling is passed.
Nyok Kuol Nyok, the defense lawyer for the victim’s family, criticized the release of Ayii after the court of appeal decided to keep him in jail until a final ruling is reached.
“The court of appeal has resolved that Ayi will not get out of jail until all necessary procedures are accomplished,” he noted.
Kuol added that despite the release of the captives, they will never desist from following the matter until the families are served justice.
“We don’t really know the reason behind his release, but we will still be by our side and follow legal procedures to dig out the reasons behind his release and finally reach a conclusion,” the family’s defense lawyer vowed.
Advocate Nyok claimed there was an external intervention in the bailing of Ayii.