The government has confirmed the arrest of several senior officials, including the immediate former Minister of Finance and Planning, Dr Bak Barnaba Chol, over alleged financial malpractice linked to irregularities in the country’s monetary system.
Speaking to Eye Radio this morning, the Minister of Information and government spokesperson, Ateny Wek Ateny, said a special committee has been formed to investigate a number of officials over what he described as financial irregularities in monetary policy.
Ateny confirmed that Dr. Bak, who was dismissed from his position on Monday, was apprehended at the Nimule border point last night while allegedly attempting to cross into Uganda.
“It is the committee handling this matter that will later confirm how many people have been arrested so far. The former immediate Minister of Finance is also among them. He was apprehended and brought back while allegedly attempting to escape,” he said.
“There will be a statement issued later by the committee tasked to investigate the financial malpractices. The committee has its own spokesperson who will brief the media. This matter is not political. It is related to irregularities in the monetary system. I cannot confirm further details because I am not informed about the specific circumstances of the arrests,” he added.
According to reports circulating on social media and some news outlets, other officials detained in recent days include former Finance Minister Marial Dongrin Ater, who was reportedly arrested in Rumbek on Thursday and later flown to Juba.
Former Governor of the Bank of South Sudan, Moses Makur Deng, was also reportedly placed under house arrest earlier this week.
Security sources further confirmed the detention of Manasseh Machar Bol, a senior security official formerly stationed at the Ministry of Petroleum.
In a related development, Deng Lual Wol, former Undersecretary at the Ministry of Petroleum, was reportedly detained on Friday after reporting to the National Security Service for questioning.
Ateny maintained that the arrests are not politically motivated.
However, he declined to confirm the exact number of officials arrested, saying the committee tasked with the investigation will provide full details in due course.
“I cannot confirm because I don’t have the information, I don’t have the list of how many people now got so far. Well, it is after they get into the level they want to reach first,” he said.