Africa-Press – South-Sudan. The leadership of parliament has come to the defence of speaker Nunu Kumba who was accused by a legislature of attempting to ‘smuggle’ SSP12 out of parliament early this week.
Assembly spokesperson John Agany said the money in question was allocated by the house for administration functions for the six EALA MPs. At the same time, Agany threatened to initiate legal proceedings against Juol Nhomngek who levelled the allegations against the speaker.
“Honorable Juol Nhomngek must bring the allegations forward so that they can be substantiated, or else, he will be attending a court hearing about this allegation that he has aimed specifically against Speaker Jemma Nunu Kumba,” he said.
Though EALA pays its members, Agany claimed the house had set aside the fund carters for the expenses of six South Sudanese MPs in the regional assembly.
“The 12 million that was alleged to be stolen by the speaker, was actually for an administrative purpose like buying air tickets for our members of the EALA,” said Agany who is also the chairperson of the Information Committee
“When they (EALA MPs) come back for recess, the National Legislative Assembly is hereby to render their tickets,” he added.
Nhomngek, a lawmaker from Sudan’s People’s Liberation Movement in Opposition (SPLM-IO), alleged security officers assaulted him when he attempted to prevent the speaker from ‘smuggling’ 12 million SSP out of parliament.
“The security slapped my cheek,” Nhomngek told Radio Tamazuj on Wednesday.
“When the money (12 million SSP) was about to be taken away in the daytime, people intervened and the speaker came and took that money because it was her money,” he added.
Nhomngek said the security operatives at the parliament have created an atmosphere of fear among those MPs who oppose the speaker.
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