Local artist arrested after dispute with former Deputy Mayor Thiik Thiik

JUBA – A local artist known by the stage name Pioth Peace has been arrested in Juba following a dispute involving Thiik Thiik Mayardit, the former Deputy Mayor of the Juba City Council.

The arrest comes amid allegations that the artist was involved in an affair with the wife of the former city official—claims that have fueled widespread discussion on social media in recent weeks.

According to information circulating online, the allegations first emerged in December last year after Pioth Peace was reportedly seen in a situation suggesting an alleged relationship with Thiik Thiik Mayardit’s wife. The claims quickly sparked tensions between the two.

Pioth Peace has denied the allegations.

In a video statement shared on TikTok, the artist said the rumours began after he attended an event during the opening of Sky View Hotel in Juba. He explained that the claims about an alleged affair started circulating afterwards, prompting a confrontation with the former deputy mayor.

The artist further claimed that Thiik Thiik Mayardit confiscated his phones during the Christmas Eve period to check for evidence of communication between him and the official’s wife. According to Pioth, the search did not produce any evidence supporting the allegations.

The dispute later escalated after Pioth reportedly released a song criticising Thiik Thiik Mayardit. Shortly afterwards, authorities issued a warrant for his arrest earlier this week.

Following the arrest, leaders of the Peth-Atak community in Juba issued a statement addressing the situation and calling for calm.

Peth-Atak is a Juba-based section of a community originating from Aweil North County in Northern Bahr el Ghazal State.

“On behalf of the Peth-Atak Community leadership in Juba, under the chairmanship of Santino Deng Dau Nyuol and Secretary General Mark Wol Garang, we want to address the recent arrest of Pioth Peace due to differences between him and Thiik Thiik Mayardit,” the statement said in part.

Community leaders said they met with Pioth Peace while he was in police custody and confirmed that he is safe.

“Our leadership team met with Pioth Peace at the Northern Police Division in Juba, where we confirmed he is safe. We also met with Thiik Thiik Mayardit, who accepted to meet us, and we discussed their differences,” the statement added.

The leadership commended Thiik Thiik Mayardit for his willingness to engage in dialogue and seek a lawful resolution to the dispute.

“We appreciate Thiik Thiik Mayardit’s willingness to engage in dialogue and work towards a resolution that follows the law,” the statement said.

The community also urged social media users to refrain from making inflammatory comments while the matter is being handled through legal channels.

“We advise all media users to refrain from influencing the case and to halt discussion on the matter to allow for a peaceful resolution,” the leadership said.

They further warned against spreading misinformation about Pioth Peace’s safety, noting that such claims could potentially inflame tensions between communities from Aweil and Warrap.

“Pioth Peace is under police protection, and his case will be addressed according to the law with community intervention. We assure his family and friends that he is safe, and we seek a diplomatic resolution between him and Thiik Thiik Mayardit,” the statement added.

It remains unclear whether the dispute will be resolved through formal court proceedings or through community mediation, as Peth-Atak leaders continue consultations with the families involved.