South Sudanese journalist, Alfred Angasi Dominic who was held for weeks in arbitrary detention by the country’s National Security Service (NSS) has been dismissed by his employer, the South Sudan Broadcasting Corporation (SSBC).
Dominic, a news anchor at SSBC was dismissed on Thursday, September 8, along with two other individuals of the radio department, Emmanuel Patrick Laku, and Abraham Felix Bodi. The management did not provide any specific reason for its action.
“The administration of this department extends its thanks to the three persons for their contribution, wishing them good luck in their future expectation,” the station said in a communication to the dismissed radio staff.
Michael Dafalla, the director of news and current affairs in the radio department of SSBC signed the communication on behalf of the management.
The action followed two weeks after Dominic was released from nearly three-week in detention, without any charge, by security authorities. Dominic was arrested on July 2, on an accusation of refusing to read news content containing President Salva Kiir’s decrees. But he told RadioInfo Africa that the claim was false and misleading and that the lies were only meant to end his journalism career.
“I have never refused to read presidential decree as alleged. Everybody knows refusal to read presidential decree is suicidal,” he said.
“It should be noted that most of the presidential decrees are aired [by] on SSBC radio. Individuals in SSBC and the NSS connived to end my carrier for reasons best known to themselves.”
Despite losing everything during his detention and being dismissed without any established claim, in line with the public service regulation, the former SSBC journalist told RadioInfo Africa that he holds nothing against anybody, including those who have caused him social and psychological pains and emotions.
“I had wanted to clear my name in the court of law, but this is not the time. Nevertheless, I maintain my innocence, and every South Sudanese knows the case is politically motivated even if I’m a journalist, a non-partisan. There is nothing I can do at the moment.”