Kenyan passport found on slain South Sudan rebel

The slain South Sudan rebel leader, George Athor Deng, was masquerading as a Kenyan citizen, military sources in Juba have reported.

Athor had been travelling on a forged Kenyan passport (number A1760009) under the name of Samuel Otieno Ger when he was killed on Monday evening.

The passport reveals several anomalies and one wonders how he was able to use it. For instance, its presentation is of the old generation though it indicates that it was issued on November 23, 2011 in Nairobi and was due to expire in November 2012 when the new Kenyan passports have a 10-year lifespan. 

Besides, passports currently being issued are the new generation type with several security features that are missing on the one found on Athor’s body.

It had only one watermarked photo of the holder when a genuine one should have two. Other watermark features differ significantly from those on a genuine one.

It indicated that he was born on June 12, 1961 in Siaya.

Athor, who led the Southern Sudan Democratic Movement/Army, a splinter of the ruling Sudan People’s Liberation Movement/Army, was shot dead in Central Equatoria State by government forces.

Reports in the Sudan Tribune newspaper quoted military sources in Juba as saying that further investigations would be conducted on how Athor obtained the passport.

Juba officials, who accuse Khartoum of supporting the rebel groups, suspect the passport was provided by the Sudanese intelligence to the renegade general.

Athor’s death came only days after the Juba national parliament approved a military action against his group, and exactly a month after he failed to reach a peace deal with a government delegation in Nairobi.