A human resources officer at the South Sudan National Election Commission in Juba has been arrested for attempting to steal SSP43.7 million last week, security officials revealed.
The main suspect has been identified as Arok Aruop.
Security officials said the suspect deceived the police on duty to go for supper before breaking into the finance office and looting two boxes full of an unknown amount of money.
First Lieutenant Bol Chual Abwarang, in charge of security at the elections commission, told Radio Tamazuj that they only intercepted SSP43.7 million but did not know how much money was in the empty boxes.
Abwarang said the theft happened last Sunday after the suspect duped the police on duty with SSP5,000 to go for a meal.
“The employee came and asked the police officer who was providing security to go and eat something. He gave the police officer 5,000 SSP for a meal. Mr. Arok attempted to steal the money and brought another person from outside to assist him,” he explained.
The police identified the suspect as a human resources officer at the election commission in Juba, adding that they had intercepted two empty boxes and SSP43.7 million election money.
When asked why the money was kept in the commission office instead of the bank, the security officer said it had been brought to be distributed to the states for work.
The suspect is currently in the Northern police custody in Juba.
Meanwhile, National Election Commission Chairperson Prof. Abednego Akok Kacuol confirmed the incident.
The South Sudan National Elections Commission, often referred to as the NEC, is the election management body established under the National Elections Act 2023.
In September, South Sudan’s transitional government postponed the December 2024 general elections until December 2026, citing a lack of preparedness.
This is the second time the country, which gained independence in 2011, is postponing elections and extending a transitional period that started in February 2020.