Embattled Mayen faces arrest

Police in Warrap State have reportedly issued an arrest warrant for the embattled Minister of Humanitarian Affairs and Disaster Management Peter Mayen Majongdit (pictured) for a violent attack on his wife.

Mr Mayen allegedly beat and stabbed his wife, prompting the wife’s relatives to seek justice for their daughter and a footballer commonly known as Aluel ‘Messi’, at a local police station in Warrap State, a local official reported last week.

“The police are looking for him (Peter Mayen) because an arrest warrant has already been issued against him for the crime which he has done. The arrest warrant has now been sent to the capital, Juba and he will be wanted in the court very soon,” said the official in the condition of anonymity.

It is yet to be ascertained as to why a senior official in the Revitalised Transitional Government of National (R-TGoNU) stabbed the wife. This is the second time in less than four months Mr Mayen has been accused of gender-based violence.

The Police Spokesperson, Maj. Gen. Daniel Justin confirmed the incident to the City Review on Saturday but said the case was being handled at the family level.

“Yes, there is something like that. He (Minister Mayen) is accused of Gender-Based Violence and they are solving the case at the family level. So, we are yet to get the detail and we will let you know,” said Maj. Gen. Justin.

This is the second time in less than four months that Mr Mayen has been accused of gender-based violence. In April, the minister allegedly shot bullets in the air to disperse the crowd during the women’s football league at Aweil Football Stadium.

According to the sources, the senior government official had wanted to stop his wife (Aluel Messi) from taking part in the league game, and when they resisted his decision, he shot several rounds in the air to scare off the crowd.

When contacted by the City Review in April, Mayen denied the accusation but said he “peacefully” stopped the wife who had a three-month-old baby from playing football for the wellbeing of the kid “without causing chaos”.

Mayen, also the Chairperson of Other Political Parties (OPP) was among the 30 members of parliament whose nominations were revoked by President Salva Kiir for his alleged unilateral nomination that violated the responsibility sharing protocol of the peace agreement.

Some leaders of OPP accused Mayen of appointing his family members who were not members of the party to the Reconstituted Transitional National Legislative Assembly (R-TNLA), including a foreign national, Ms. Afekuru Animu Rasasi.