Sudan’s Burhan sets up special court for currency exchange, fund probes

November 27, 2024 (PORT SUDAN) – Sudanese military leader Abdel Fattah al-Burhan established a special prosecutor’s office and court on Wednesday to investigate the origins of funds during an exchange of new currency, the Sovereign Council said.

The Central Bank announced on Nov. 9 the introduction of a new 1,000 Sudanese pound banknote. It urged citizens to deposit existing 1,000 and 500-pound notes into bank accounts, with plans to phase out the old notes. Direct exchanges will not be allowed.

The council said in a statement that Burhan decided to “establish a special prosecutor’s office and a special court to consider currency exchange cases, especially with regard to investigating the sources of funds, ensuring swift judgements against those convicted.”

Burhan also formed a high committee headed by Sovereign Council member Ibrahim Jabir to oversee the exchange process.

The committee includes the finance and information ministers, the central bank governor, the attorney general, and the heads of the General Intelligence Service, Military Intelligence, and police. The governor of Darfur and the registrar of companies are also members.

The council said the committee will manage technical, security, and logistical arrangements, including the start date and exchange period.

The exchange will initially occur in the states of Red Sea, Kassala, Gedaref, River Nile, Northern, White Nile, and Blue Nile. Further exchanges will be conducted in areas retaken from the Rapid Support Forces (RSF).

The RSF criticized the new banknote and said it would not allow its circulation in areas under its control. Banking operations in those areas have been disrupted after RSF elements looted banks.

Separately, the governor of Northern State, Abdeen Awad, formed a committee to implement the exchange there. It includes the central bank branch director, the finance ministry director general, and representatives from the security committee, tax authority, public prosecutor’s office, commercial registry, and auditor general’s office.