Gen. Malong: I am not convinced Late Amb. Telar died of Covid-19

Gen. Malong: I am not convinced Late Amb. Telar died of Covid-19

The former Chief of Staff of the SPLA Gen. Paul Malong Awan has pointed an accusatory finger at an undisclosed persons in the government as having played a role in the untimely death of Amb. Telar Ring Deng, a man Malong highly regarded as colleague and a family member.

Telar who served as President Kiir’s legal advisor until 2014 when he was named South Sudan’s ambassador to Russia died on 27th December 2020 of Covid-19 related complications in a Juba hospital. On 24th December, Telar posted on his Facebook page that he has contracted the novel coronavirus and assured South Sudanese of his stable condition.

Speaking to hundreds of mourners who have gathered for prayers at the house of late Telar on Sunday evening, Malong said he is “not convinced that Telar died of Covid-19 related complications,” suggesting that a foul play is not ruled out.

A close survey of social media posts suggest that a huge section of South Sudanese are skeptical on the swiftness of the death of Telar Deng, arguing that the coronavirus only kills patients at an average of 18 days from the day of diagnose.
Malong, a leader of the rebel outfit SSUF/A, further added that the death of Ambassador Telar Ring Deng and that of Gen. Ajongo Mawut are suspicious and mysteries and thus leave many questions to be answered. Gen. Ajongo who succeeded Malong as Chief of Staff of the SPLA in 2017 died less than a year in office. His family members who’ve refused to be named say they were aware that some “forces” within the government were extremely uncomfortable with Ajongo.
“It appeared to me that anyone who might have worked, cooperated or suspected to have association of any kind with me are either rounded up, put under house arrest or die a controversial deaths.” He added as “unacceptable” for a nation as desperate as South Sudan to be losing its brilliant minds and decorated servicemen in unclear circumstances.