South Sudan lifts immunity of finance minister to probe corruption
March 18, 2007 (JUBA) — The President of the Government of Southern Sudan has lifted minister of finance immunity, so he could be arrested and face prosecution on corruption charges.
The First Vice President and President of Southern Sudan government Salva Kiir Mayadrit removed political immunity from the minister of Finance and Economic Planning: Arthur Akuien Cliol.
Conflicting reports are coming from Juba and Khartoum about the fate of the minister. Unconfirmed report says that the Parliamentary Affairs Minister Gabriel Changson Chang has been named to replace Arthur Akuien, while the Minister in the Office of the Southern Sudan President Dr Luka Biong reiterated that Arthur remains in his function and denied the sack.
The secretary general of the Sudan People’s Liberation Movement, Pagan Amum accuses Arthur Akuen, then SPLM Secretary for Financial and Economical Affairs, of keeping the SPLM portfolio of 60 million USD when he was appointed minister of finances. Pagan said he requested the money several times while Arthur retorted that he spent the money.
There have been several charges of corruption levelled against the southern administration, enough that the Salva Kiir himself pledged on February 13 to follow up on the accusations. Kiir in despite of his apparent calm was very affected, according to reliable sources, when president al-Bashir raised the issue of the 60 million dollar during the celebration of the second anniversary of the CPA in Juba on January 9.
The lift of the immunity comes in order to allow an investigation committee headed by Samson Kwaje, the minister of information, to carry on its probe with him.
The SLM leadership is also expected to reshuffle the government of Southern Sudan and the governments of the 10 states in the south. Also, the ministers of the SPLM in the federal government are concerned by this move.
In related development, a group of Greater Bahr El Ghazal elders addressed a letter last week to the president of southern Sudan to express their dismay and concern about the alleged accusations against Arthur Akuien. The letter, which is signed among others by Bona Malwal Madut Ring, Ambrose Barac Atem, Aldo Ajou Deng, requested Salva Kiir to investigate the charges against Arthur before removing him from the ministry of finance.
They also expressed fears that the purpose of charges against Arthur is to force salva Kiir to replace him by someone who is opposed to the interest of Bahr El-Ghazal.
The group warned that they will not accept that Greater Bahr El Ghazal continues to “be targeted and victimized in silence as was the case during the long years of the civil war.”
(ST)