The first finance minister in the Government of Southern Sudan denied allegations that he stole public money and pointed fingers at other figures in South Sudan.
The General Auditor found that huge amounts of US dollars went missing from government coffers during 2005 and 2006 and Elijah Malok, the former governor of the Bank of South Sudan, told MPs during an inquest that he freed the money the then finance minister requested.Arthur Akuien Chol broke today his four-year silence to clear his name from what he called false accusations.
He told the press that he was not accountable for the government’s expenditure.
Mr Akuien said he was accused of having pocketed 60 million US dollars given by President Omar al-Bashir to the governemtn.
He explained that he had the documentation to prove how he spent 30 millions and the other 30 millions were deposited in SPLM secretary general Pagan Amum’s account.
Mr Akuien said he briefed the Interim SPLM Political Bureau on the money in the hands of Mr Amum and nobody made a move.
He added that the authorities are still asking him where the money went instead of enquiring from Mr Amum.
Mr Akuien explained that in 2007 he lost his job and was accused of corruption after buying a number of vehicles at the request of Riek Machar Teny from a company the vice president indicated and he was accused of paying the real price of the vehicles twice.
He added that he put in prison, tried and declared innocent by Justice Malek Mathiang in Juba on September 30, 2009.
Mr Akuien praised the work done by the Auditor General and his team on the public accounts for 2006 and 2007.
He called on them to do a full audit to the movements at the National Bank where they will find links to some lost money.
Mr Akuien stated that the false allegations put him and his family under suspicion and abuse and caused them great suffering.