Eastern Lakes official denies throwing out local FM manager

The Minister of Information for Eastern Lakes has denied barring the manager of Yirol Community Radio station from accessing the facilities.   

On Tuesday, manager John Agok told Eye Radio Minister Abel Taban barred him since the 24^th of this month from entering the station premises.

He said this came after some staff of the radio station attacked him and confiscated office keys from him including other valuables last week.

“I was attacked and the keys were taken away from me and my office belongings plus my modem,” Mr Ago said.

He accused Mr. Abel – who dragged him to court last year over the disappearance of 100,000 SSP after allegedly conniving against him.

However, Mr Agok was acquitted of the charges by the state court after it found no evidence.

After his acquittal, he said the Community Empowerment for Progress Organization – which is supporting the radio – reinstated him in October last year.

But he says since then, the state minister of information has been interfering with the affairs of the radio.

“The radio is no longer a community radio, but a government facility.”

In response, Minister Taban Abel says Mr Agok was involved in a fight with some of his colleagues who allegedly attacked him.

For this reason, Mr Abel said he decided to suspend Mr Agok and scheduled for meeting today to resolve their differences:

“I told him until today, I am going to sit with them. What I want to do is to reconcile John Agok together with people he has dispute with and punish those who attacked him”.

“Only that we don’t just punish people directly. There are civil service procedures that are followed.” Minister Abel said.

Regarding interference with the affairs of the Radio, Mr Abel said the station is partly run by the government because it is providing fuel and paying some of the staff.

He said CEPO is not giving this support since it established the radio.  The civil society organisation is yet to comment on the matter.