VZCZCXRO2885
PP RUEHROV
DE RUEHKH #2636 3120846
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
P 080846Z NOV 06
FM AMEMBASSY KHARTOUM
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC PRIORITY 5163
INFO RUCNIAD/IGAD COLLECTIVE

UNCLAS KHARTOUM 002636 
 
SIPDIS 
 
SIPDIS 
 
E.O. 12958:  N/A 
TAGS: PGOV ETRD SU
SUBJECT: Southern Sudan: MoF Officials Investigated for Corruption 
 
¶1.  Summary:  Five high-ranking officials in the Government of 
Southern Sudan (GoSS) Ministry of Finance and Economic Planning 
(MoF), including both under secretaries, have been suspended pending 
a corruption investigation into procurement irregularities and 
possible embezzlement of customs duties.  The suspensions, ordered 
by a GoSS presidential decree on October 29, names an investigative 
commission and sets a November 10 deadline for determining if there 
is enough evidence to pursue a case.  While there have long been 
allegations of corruption in the MoF, the timing may be related to 
an attempt by the minister to deflect blame ahead of a legislative 
investigation.  End Summary. 
 
------------------- 
Of Cars and Customs 
------------------- 
 
¶2.  The charges against Under Secretary of Finance Isaac Makur 
relate to the misprocurement of over 100 Toyota trucks.  Records 
indicate the government paid USD90,000 each for the trucks, whose 
actual cost in Juba is around USD45,000. 
 
¶3.  The other officials are being investigated under allegations 
that exemptions were improperly granted and that none of the customs 
duties that have been collected over the past year have made it into 
the treasury.  These officials are Under Secretary for Economic 
Planning Francis Lotio, his two directors, Director for Budget Peter 
Lany and Director for Taxation Michael Abola, and Deputy Director 
for Taxation Tilet Plating. 
 
----------------------------- 
Real Problem: Lack of Systems 
----------------------------- 
 
¶4.  The Acting Under Secretary at the MoF, Agarey Tisa, explained 
that the Ministry is now working to establish clear guidelines on 
procurement and the handling of tax receipts, which did not exist 
before.  For example, he pointed out that at least six different 
agencies were directly ordering customs officers to provide 
exemptions:  the GoSS MoF, the national MoF, the GoSS Ministry of 
Regional Cooperation, the national Ministry of Foreign Affairs, and 
both the northern and southern agencies responsible for regulating 
NGOs.  The MoF is also now trying to harmonize the old SPLM tax 
structures with those of the Government of National Unity (GNU). 
 
¶5.  Several government officials confided in PolOff that this same 
lack of systems and record-keeping will make pursuing these cases 
more difficult for the investigating commission and that at least 
some of these officials will likely be cleared.  While it is clear 
the government overpaid for the vehicles and mishandled the taxes, 
the commission must not only prove that the officials involved were 
responsible, but that the acts were corruption and not incompetence 
due to a lack of guidance. 
 
¶6.  The commission is led by Under Secretary for Legal Affairs Majok 
Mading Majok, and made up of the chair of the Anti-Corruption 
Commission, the Director of Police in the Ministry of Internal 
Affairs, and representatives from both the Ministry of Labor and an 
organization that represents civil servants.  The Anti-Corruption 
Commission is not leading the investigation due to a serious lack of 
capacity, although observers have noted that it will be difficult 
for the Ministry of Legal Affairs to lead an investigation in which 
it may be called as a witness. 
 
----------------------------------- 
A Deflection That May Ricochet Back 
----------------------------------- 
 
¶7.  In early October, the Southern Sudan Legislative Assembly (SSLA) 
announced it had formed two committees to investigate these same 
allegations.  Shortly after the committees were formed, Minister of 
Finance Arthur Chol sent a letter to GoSS President Salva Kiir 
explaining he was firing these five officials for corruption.  A 
member of the SSLA told PolOff that he believes this was an 
ill-conceived attempt by the minister to preempt the investigations 
and deflect attention away from himself.  President Kiir responded 
that public officials cannot be dismissed without due process and 
ordered the public investigation.  Several government officials, 
including a member of the investigation commission, confirmed that 
the investigation will go where the evidence leads, even if that is 
beyond the currently accused individuals. 
 
POWERS