Juba: A Sudanese newspaper editor has been freed after spending three days in jail over a controversial article criticising high salaries in Sudan's legal ministry.

The editor for daily paper The Citizen, Nhial Bol, said he had been detained on Friday after government officials accused him of defamation and spreading false information.

Bol said he was released late on Sunday.

"We are waiting for them to establish their case and take the whole thing to court. I don't know when," he said.

His arrest sparked outrage by both Sudanese and international media.