NBGs governor puts anti-graft boss in prison for exposing alleged corruption

Northern Bahr el Ghazal state government has arrested the former chairperson of the Anti-corruption Commission in the state on Monday.

Anei Rok Akuei is being detained at the central prison after the state governor lifted his immunity.

He was arrested after he allegedly wrote a letter accusing the State Governor and the State Minister of Finance of embezzling public funds.

In the letter seen by Akol Yam FM, Mr. Rok indicated that the governor and the minister have not been accounting for the money disbursed to the state by the national government and other locally generated revenues.

This include 260 million South Sudanese Pounds from national Grants, and 30 million South Sudanese Pounds from local revenue, and $317, 000 and $60, 000 monthly Personal Income Taxes collected from NGOs.

It is said that the Director General in the State Ministry of Finance opened a case against Mr. Rok to prove the allegations before a court.

On Friday, Governor Tong Akeen issued a decree relieving Mr. Rok as chairperson of the anti-graft body and lifted his immunity to enable investigations.

William Anyuon Kuol, State Minister of Information confirmed that Mr. Rok Akuei was arrested on Monday.

He said the former anti-corruption commission boss was arrested after he failed to produce evidence to support his allegations.

“He said the governor and the minister are missing funds that come from the national government plus PIT – amounting to $217,000. He also accused the Revenue Authority and Ministry of Lands of involving in corruption. That is why the immunity was lifted so that he can go to go to court to prove that the governor and his team misuse public funds,” William Anyuon explained.

The former Chairperson of the Anti-Corruption Commission, Rok Akuei is an appointee of the SPLM-IO.

Garang Wol Kon, the Secretary General of the SPLM-OI in Northern Bahr el Ghazal state said the governor has no powers to lift the immunity of a member of a different party.

“I want our partners to peace to respect the revitalized peace agreement because the governor doesn’t have powers to lift the immunity of any official in the [state] transitional government,” he said.

All state governors, cabinet ministers and heads of commission are appointed by the President in consultation with parties to the 2018 revitalized peace agreement.

Mr. Wol said they are following up the matter through legal channels to secure the release of Rok.

“Now we are in the office of the [state] Attorney General to bail out Honorable Anei from jail in Aweil central.”

He insisted that it is the role of the anti-corruption commission to expose cases of corruption in the state.