South Sudan President Pleads With Officials To Return $4 Billion In “Stolen” Public Money
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South Sudanese government officials should return nearly $4 billion in “stolen” public money back to the government, said president Salva Kiir in a letter obtained by Reuters on Monday, with the country struggling to rebuild its public infrastructure following the separation from Sudan last year.
South Sudanese government officials should return nearly $4 billion in “stolen” public money back to the government, said president Salva Kiir in a letter obtained by Reuters on Monday, with the country struggling to rebuild its public infrastructure following the separation from Sudan last year.
The president’s letter was reportedly addressed to 75 current and former South Sudanese officials and had offered amnesty for any official willing to return the stolen money.
A senior South Sudan government official confirmed to Reuters that the letter was sent to current, former and deputy ministers in the last ten days, though the letter itself had been dated on May 3rd.
“An estimated $4 billion are unaccounted for or, simply put, stolen by former and current officials, as well as corrupt individuals with close ties to government officials,” wrote Kir.
“Most of these funds have been taken out of the country and deposited in foreign accounts. Some have purchased properties, often paid in cash,” he added.
[quote]”We fought for freedom, justice and equality. Many of our friends died to achieve these objectives. Yet, once we got to power, we forgot what we fought for and began to enrich ourselves at the expense of our people…the credibility of our government is on the line.”[/quote]According to South Sudan’s Information Minister Barnaba Marial Benjamin, over half of the estimated $4 billion stolen may have occurred during the country’s “durra” scandal, when a large government purchase of sorghum was allegedly never distributed.
A large percentage of the sum is also likely to have come from the nation’s oil industry, with some figures estimating that a third of all oil receipts had been absconded since 2005.
South Sudan produced nearly 350,000 barrels of oil a day prior to its independence in a split-revenue scheme with Khartoum. The two independent nations though are now locked in a bitter dispute over revenues, which resulted in Juba shutting down oil production back in January.
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Consequently, the new nation’s state revenue was slashed by 98 percent, with documents from the World Bank estimating that foreign reserves will run out by July.
According to a press release by the president’s office, South Sudan’s anti-corruption committee has thus far recovered a mere $60 million from fraudulent transactions and misappropriation of funds by government officials.
The president has since sent eight letters to heads of state in Africa, the United States, Middle East, and Europe seeking assistance in the recovery of stolen funds by South Sudanese officials.
