(CNN) The South Sudanese man at the center of a row over his recent wedding says the marriage process conformed to the traditions of his country and denies that an "auction" for the bride took place, as was alleged by a UK-based child advocacy organization.

In a telephone interview with CNN from Juba, the capital of South Sudan, Ruben Kok Alat refused to confirm the age of the bride -- reported to be 16 or 17 -- but said it was a "marriage like any other."

The family of the bride reportedly received 500 cows, three cars and $10,000 from the groom at the time of the marriage. South Sudanese human rights lawyer Phillips Ngong told CNN the assets were proposed in the context of an auction that took place in person, and the dowry amount pledged was higher than usual, which prompted a discussion on Facebook.

Speaking to CNN, Kok Alat did not discuss the dowry size and said media commentary about the terms of the marriage being decided through an "auction" was "fake."

"I'm personally disappointed, and many people who know how our tradition works are most disappointed," he said. "There is no human that can auction another human. South Sudan is a country with a high level of human rights."

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