S. Sudan president suspends top military officials over financial scandal
May 5, 2015 (JUBA) – South Sudanese president Salva Kiir has issued directives suspending two senior military officers at the ministry of defence over financial scandal amid fears they may also be arrested.
They are further barred from leaving the country without the knowledge and approval of the chief of general staff, Gen. Paul Malong Awan, and the command in chief of the regular forces, president Salva Kiir.
Several presidential aides and military sources indicated the officials were suspended on the recommendation by the army’s chief Awan, following discovery of documents seeking approval of money for services whose delivery was not verified and without the knowledge of the top army chief.
A presidential source told Sudan Tribune on Tuesday that the decision to suspend the senior military officials was taken on Sunday after the president met the two officials at which he communicated to them his decision and asked them to not leave the country until investigation was carried out and completed.
“It is within the powers of the president to act within the confines of the law. The president as the commander [in chief] of the SPLA decided to suspend in accordance with powers conferred on him by the constitution of the republic of South Sudan [and] the SPLA white paper act,” said the source.
Another source within the office of the chief of general staff, who spoke on condition of anonymity claimed there was an element of bad intention on the part of the two officers by trying to bypass army’s chief in spite of being the chief accounting officer.
Family members and close relatives of the officials have also confirmed the suspension of the two officials from their positions.
“I really don’t know the amount of money they were trying to con [from] the government because I have not seen the documents. But it is clear there was an element of bad intention,” he said.
“Why did they bypass the chief of general staff? The information I have from our department is that there was someone with some documents and these documents were signed by John Lat and Bior Ajang,” he added.
It was clear what services the two officials claimed to provide and the amount of money involved in the scandal.
These documents, the source further explained, were intended to be taken directly to the ministry of finance so that a certain amount of money is paid to the two officials for allegedly delivering services to the SPLA but the documents instead found their way to the office of chief of general staff.
He said the army’s chief tried to convene a meeting with the two military officials in order to inquire from them the meaning of the documents, but they decided to avoid the meeting, prompting the chief of general staff to refer the matter to the president.
(ST)