S. Sudan presidency threatens lawsuit over alleged loss of a million dollars

February 17, 2016 (JUBA) – South Sudanese presidency has threatened to take to court those individuals or websites who spread in the media alleged reports suggesting the minister in the office of the president had attempted to steal and flee the country with more than 1 million US dollars.

“We are now investigating this unfounded allegation. We need to know where exactly these allegations emanated [from] so that we know the intention behind it,” said presidential advisor for security affairs,” Tut Gatluak, told Sudan Tribune on Wednesday when asked to comment on the report.

He said the government was identifying the persons behind the allegation and to take appropriate legal measures against them.

He denied there was one million US dollars in the office of the president as well as departure to Canada of the minister in the office of the president, Awan Guol Riak, who is back to Juba after a short time visit to Kenya.

Presidential spokesperson, Ateny Wek Ateny, confirmed in a separate statement that the minister in the office of the president did not go to Canada but to Kenya on a private mission.

Ateny confirmed that minister Riak had travelled outside the country to neighbouring Kenya for a private visit but had returned to Juba on Tuesday where he held a press briefing on his arrival. He denied the allegation charging him to have diverted the money released to the office of the president by the central bank.

The minister did not say the nature of the private visit to Nairobi and there are no reports suggesting he was unwell to necessitate the visit for medical attention and care. He has no family living in Kenya to justify family visit.

Riak’s colleagues at the presidency said he has family in Australia where he resettled after leaving Egypt where he had lived when he left Sudan at the height of 1983- 2005 war between the north and South Sudan.

Observers are keen to stress that the minister must have been frustrated by “rumour mill” and street talks speculating that he may not be among those officials the faction of the ruling Sudan People’s Liberation Movement (SPLM) allied to President Salva Kiir may have recommended for ministerial posts in the upcoming transitional government of national unity.

Others say he was attempting to flee the country because he fears he will be arrested once removed from the office since he is under investigation for the case involving senior officials in the office of the president, who were arrested for allegedly forging the signature and seal of the president to request the central bank to release more than 1 million dollars in 2015.

Security operatives are still investigating the chief administrator in the office of the president and the executive director in the same office for the role they played in the matter which became public knowledge after the arrest of a security officer believed to have been involved in forging signatures and republican seals of the president for years to direct the central bank to release money.

(ST)