Former Finance Minister of Western Bahr al Ghazal State Lillian Valentino Rizig has threatened to file a lawsuit against the Wau State governor for accusing her of embezzlement of public funds.
Wau State is one of two successor states of Western Bahr el Ghazal State (WBEG), with its capital at Wau, the capital of the former WBEG. Opposition parties say the formation of the 28 new states is unconstitutional, but governors appointed by President Kiir have moved to establish new structures.
Wau State Governor Elias Waya Nyipuoc last week at a public event accused the former finance minister of Western Bahr el Ghazal of emptying government bank accounts before leaving office.
Speaking to Radio Tamazuj on Thursday, Lillian Rizig said the Wau governor should produce a document to prove the alleged misappropriation of public money.
The former minister, who had served under the now ousted governor Governor Rizig Zachariah, stressed that she will sue the newly appointed governor for defamation. She explained that the law does not allow a finance minister to write cheques, pointing out also that the central bank in the state restricts transfer of money to other accounts.
Valentino pointed to the existence of financial controls during her time in office, saying three senior officials at the state ministry of finance should sign in case of any money transfer.
The ally of the former governor pointed out that director general at the ministry, director of finance and director of budget would have signed for the withdrawal of money. “So these are the people whose names are in the bank and they are the ones who should sign to transfer money to another account,” she said.
“I tell you that it is not correct, and I will seek legal bodies because it is a defamation case, we told H.E. the governor to prove it, and there should be a thorough investigation into the money transferred from the national government to Western Bahr al Ghazal state,” stressed the ex-minister.
For his part, the newly appointed governor of Wau state insisted that the former Finance Minister Lillian Valentino Rizig had withdrawn six million South Sudanese pounds by a cheque.
Speaking to Radio Tamazuj yesterday, Governor Elias Waya Nyipuoc said that a report released by the bank proves his claims. The state official vowed to look into the case of the former minister through the state assembly.
“According to the bank she is the one who has withdrawn the money meant for a pension fund, she is the one who took this money, she must not talk like that, the law will follow her, the cabinet will work and the parliament will also work, so she will be asked where is the money,” he said.
File photo (below): Lilian Rizik Valentino (Gurtong)