WES’s Yambio judiciary financial official detained over missing 33,000SDG
By Richard Ruati
June 2, 2009 (YAMBIO) — Western Equatoria County Court Finance Officer, Mr. John Shadrak Tai has been detained in Yambio prison on suspicion of having embezzled thirty three thousand Sudanese pounds (33,000SDG) of the County Court’s operations reportedly was being kept in the culprit house, pending transfer and deposit to GOSS.
The 2nd Class magistrate judge for Yambio county court Mr. Tito Issa Jamiye urges that, “the money got lost from the house of the accused; simply because Yambio county court is not having proper building for keeping such huge money that is why, he the finance officer turned his house to be the bank.”
In statements revealed by the accused, Mr. Tai said that, “while he was at home at night his domestic duck was backing and when he came out to witness what was taking place outside, then unknown gunmen appeared and put him under gun point.”
He added that, “the two gun men ordered him to follow the road heading to Nzara town, while before reaching five miles, [I] saw motorcycle riding towards [us] flushing direct on [us] that was why the gunmen jumped into the bush and [I] had to escape from the thugs.”
However Yambio County Court Judge Tito predicted the statement of the accused as a false statement. Adding that, “when he gave explanation letter to Mr. John Sadarak, he claimed that the amount which got lost was 11.000sdg, but when the committee of the Yambio county court try to follow the receipts of the financial statement they got 33.000sdg is missing.”
“The money got from the Yambio county court here is supposed to be sent directly to the Headquarter account in Juba,” added Justice Tito.
He went further to say, “such act is showing clearly that he has embezzled that huge amount, why because his two statements don’t compromise to each other. That is why we have detained him and the case is on the table of the High Court for law to take its course.”
However, local analysts say that, “the accused remain innocent until proven guilty, otherwise.”
Meanwhile in related development, the judge pointed out that the highest rate of criminal offence in Yambio county court is theft and adultery and it is being committed mostly by the youths under age from 18 and above, and if one is proved guilty then law will its course against the offender.
(ST)