The Western Bahr el-Ghazal State Legislative Assembly has suspended Raja County Commissioner Arakangelo Addison Musa for allegedly failing to respond to multiple summons related to illegal gold mining and the recent deaths of five people in Dulu quarry.
Last week, [five young men were killed](https://www.radiotamazuj.org/en/news/article/gold-mine-accident-kills-five-in-raja) while searching for gold in Dulu, located within Raja County.
Joseph Mawut Athian, the State Assembly’s chairperson for Information and spokesperson, told Radio Tamazuj on Tuesday that the Assembly had passed a resolution to suspend the Commissioner until he appears before it.
“Tuesday’s sitting was a summons for the Commissioner of Raja County to appear before the Assembly and answer questions regarding gold mining in the area,” Athian said.
“The Assembly resolved that the Commissioner failed to appear despite being summoned on February 11 and again last week on the 7th. He has not presented himself before the Assembly,” he added.
However, when contacted by Radio Tamazuj, Commissioner Musa claimed he had not been officially informed of the summons.
“I have no information about my summons. I did not receive an official document from the Ministry of Local Government, under which I operate,” he said.
“In 2022, I was summoned and received an official letter from the Ministry, so I appeared. But this time, I have not received any document regarding the summons,” Musa explained.
He also questioned the timing of the summons, stating, “I can appear before them if I am informed in advance. Additionally, why is the Assembly not considering the incident that occurred on Saturday? How can I just go to Wau under these circumstances?”
This is not the first time Commissioner Musa has been summoned over illegal mining activities. In 2022, he faced similar allegations, appeared before the Assembly, and was subsequently suspended.
Earlier this year, Rizik Zackaria Hassen, South Sudan’s National Minister for Wildlife, Tourism, and Conservation, visited mining areas in Raja and [suspended operations, describing them as illegal](https://www.radiotamazuj.org/en/news/article/minister-orders-raja-county-gold-mines-shut).