Mystery clouds death of South Sudanese man in Egypt

CAIRO – The death of Mawien Deng Kuol, a South Sudanese citizen living in Egypt, has left his family and the wider South Sudanese community searching for answers after conflicting accounts emerged over the circumstances leading to his death.

What began as a chilling claim of kidnapping has now become a case marked by unanswered questions, deepening mistrust, and calls for transparency from the Egyptian authorities.

A chilling claim before his disappearance

On Sunday, 21 December 2025, Mawien went missing in Cairo. Hours later, a disturbing message appeared on his Facebook page, in which he claimed he had been kidnapped by unknown Egyptian citizens.

The message spread quickly across social media platforms, sparking alarm among South Sudanese communities in Egypt and back home.

In the post, Mawien said he was abducted in downtown Cairo, along Sayeda Zeinab Road, near a bridge leading toward Zamalek and close to a busy clothes market.

He claimed his abductors allowed him to use his phone to alert the public and said they were demanding USD 2,000 for his release.

“If the money is not paid, I will not be released,” the message warned.

Family reports him missing

Following the alarming post, Mawien’s relatives rushed to Ain Shams Police Station, where a missing-person report was officially filed.

Egyptian authorities said they began tracking his movements based on the locations mentioned in the Facebook message as part of their investigation.

Body recovered from the Nile

On Saturday, 27 December, reports emerged on social media that Mawien Deng Kuol had been found dead.

Egyptian authorities later confirmed that his body was recovered from the Nile River in Zamalek, one of Cairo’s central districts.

The discovery shattered hopes that he would be found alive and intensified speculation over what had happened in the days following his disappearance.

Conflicting official account

Soon after the body was recovered, the Egyptian Ministry of Interior issued a statement disputing the kidnapping claim.

According to the Ministry, investigators concluded that Mawien was not abducted, but instead jumped from the 6th of October Bridge, resulting in his death.

The Ministry said video footage documenting the incident exists and that the case is currently under review by the Public Prosecution.

Officials added that Mawien’s son had reported him missing and that police investigations found no evidence of external involvement.

Questions that remain unanswered

The official explanation has raised fresh doubts within the South Sudanese community.

If Mawien was not kidnapped, many are asking why he publicly claimed he was.
If video evidence exists, who recorded it, and under what circumstances?
And how does the suicide account explain the ransom demand made shortly before he disappeared?

Community members and family representatives are calling on Egyptian authorities to release the video to the South Sudanese Embassy in Cairo, family elders, and community leaders to help resolve the lingering doubts.

Waiting for clarity

Egyptian authorities say the matter remains under investigation by the Public Prosecution and have urged the public to await the final outcome.

So far, the South Sudanese Embassy in Cairo has not issued a public statement, though it is expected to be engaging Egyptian officials behind the scenes.

Until clearer answers emerge, Mawien Deng Kuol’s death remains shrouded in mystery — a case suspended between a man’s final public plea for help and an official account that denies any criminal involvement.

For his family and community, the question remains painfully unresolved: what really happened to Mawien Deng Kuol in Cairo?