Senior official arrested for alleged embezzlement in Rumbek

Map detail showing Western Lakes state in red

A senior government official in South Sudan’s Western Lakes State was arrested Sunday for allegedly embezzling about $9,000 from the finance ministry, an official said.

A senior government official in South Sudan’s Western Lakes State was arrested Sunday for allegedly embezzling about $9,000 from the finance ministry, an official said.

Western Lakes' Information Minister Isaac Majak told Radio Tamazuj Sunday that the director general at the state ministry of finance was taken into police custody and is being questioned in connection with the alleged embezzlement.

Majak said Mr Dut Riak was detained in the town of Rumbek under an arrest warrant issued by the state government.

"Dut used to say there is no money when we ask him to approve a budget for the government, but we have now discovered that he had embezzled over 9,000 US dollars," he said.

The state minister pointed out that Dut will appear in court on charges of financial misconduct and corruption.

Dut could not immediately be reached for comment.