Minister dismissed for corruption in Sudan’s Bahr al-Gahzal

Aug 26, 2006 (KHARTOUM) — Governor of Western Bahr al-Ghazal State, Mark Nypouc, has discharged his Minister of Rural and Physical Infrastructure James Henry of his duties for corruption and mismanagement of public funds. The sacked minister has been indicted by the local police and is set to face corruption charges in court.

Governor Nypouc told the Khartoum Monitor from Wau that the dismissed minister had squandered a sum of SSD 14 million (approx 60,000 dollars) earmarked for construction of 14 boreholes as part of the state’s water projects.

Governor Nypouc said he received a confidential security report that Henry withdrew the said amount from the bank of Southern Sudan and stashed it in his private account number 195 at the Ivory Bank.

“On receiving this information, I ordered Joseph Marco of the state’s legal affairs to lead a team of auditors to cross check the intelligence report. Their findings established that the minister had actually diverted the water projects’ budget to his personal account,” Governor Nypouc elaborated.

Based on the established facts, Governor Nypouc requested the first VP and President of Southern Sudan, Lt-Gen Salva Kiir, to severe the minister’s immunity. “On confirmation of lifting the minister’s immunity, I requested him to retrieve the amount within three days but he failed to meet the deadline and as a result he had to face the police”, the governor explained.

Dismissal from office or suing ministers and political post holders on corruption charges is unprecedented in southern Sudan. Until recently, ministers were removed and reappointed in different location.

(Khartoum Monitor/ST)