South Sudanese security services have arrested the former Maban county commissioner, John Juma Moti, in the Upper Nile state capital Malakal on corruption charges, according to his successor.
The current commissioner, Langa Baggari, told Radio Tamazuj in an exclusive interview that his predecessor was arrested last Saturday under allegations that he embezzled public funds.
Baggari also claimed that he had been unsuccessful in managing county affairs satisfactorily. Moti didn’t leave clear records of the county’s finances, he claimed, and that he misused funds.
“The Government of South Sudan and the state didn’t restrict support; they have sent something here for development. I have just taken the office as you know and I found that nothing been done. I found only papers and this is why there are some problems with him because he misused the money… He did nothing with the money and according to the people who were working with him they said that he sent some money to Juba and some to his children in Kampala,” added Baggari noting the reason for the former commissioner’s arrest.
The former commissioner will reportedly appear before a court in order to be tried in relation to the allegations.
South Sudan’s president released a letter last year requesting that 75 senior government officials return at least $4 billion in misused public funds.