NBGS: Paramount chief urges South Sudan president to open embezzlement probe

October 12, 2011 (JUBA) – David Garang Malong Yor, a paramount chief of Abiem East community in Aweil East County, Northern Bahr el Ghazal State, sent a strongly worded letter requesting intervention of the central government in a “financial scandal”.

The chief accuses Kom Kom Geng, a Juba based member of parliament who represents the area of stealing 7,333 South Sudanese pounds ($2,745) from a Constituency Development Fund.

The traditional leader also accused state authorities of standing in his way instead of helping him hold the suspects to account, claiming that he receives constant threats to remove him from the chieftainship.

However, the accused MP Kom Kom Geng denies the charge describing the allegations as a personal matter.

“The school has been built long time ago and it is now functioning. Just call or go to see for yourself. It is functioning”, Geng told Sudan Tribune on Wednesday. He further denied the arrest of some teachers connected to the issue.

“They are free doing their own business. One of those said to have been arrested was talking to a person sitting next to me this morning and never heard about his arrest. Even he asked the person with whom they were talking to convey to me his greeting”, Geng explained in an exclusive interview on Wednesday.

But Chief David Garang who spoke to Sudan Tribune on Tuesday drew attention of the central government to the bone of contention between him and the state authorities, claiming that his life was in danger.

“My life is in danger because the governor has threatened to remove me from the position because I am talking about accountability. That I have been critical about Community Development Fund because I have held meetings and wrote letters to higher authorities including president of the government of south Sudan,” he said.

He claimed that his car was taken by the state governor in September.

“The governor took the car that was given to my father by the president and told me to write another letter to the president requesting him to give me another car. This pains me a lot because the community was expecting intervention of the governor”, he explained adding that the car was given back to him after many people intervened and persuaded the governor to return the car.

“He returned the car after some senior government official within the area and beyond called for the release of the car but he came the following day with threats and insults, he added explaining further that the issue of constituency development has put him and some of the youth groups in the area at loggerheads with the governor.

“He (governor) wants us to distance ourselves from the question of where has this huge amount of money gone. Who has taken this money which the central government purposely released with intention to improve living condition of the local people through provision of the basic services?”

He named Akol Geng, Akol Dut, Joseph Garang and Deng Mel as some of the people who have been arrested for complaining with the governor over the lost funds.

The chief also accused local officials including Awet Kiir Awet, Deng Yel, Akok Kuol, Akoon Diing Angok as well as other chiefs like Atak Wieu Atak and Akot Dut of collaborating with the governor in giving false and misleading reports. He claimed that they were personally involved in the embezzlement the constituency development fund.

“I appeal on behalf of the greater Ajuong community to the central government especially the president Salva Kiir Mayardit to intervene because the issue is getting out of hand. The state is collaborating with the accused”.

South Sudan’s president has promised a zero tolerance on corruption, which is rife in the newly independent country. Since South Sudan gained autonomous rule in 2005 no official has been prosecuted for graft despite a commission being established to investigate allegations.

(ST)