Agenzia Fides

Juba (Agenzia Fides) - The Parliament of South Sudan has passed a resolution suspending 75 addressees of the letter from public office in which President Salva Kiir urges them to give back $ 4 billion stolen from state funds. The suspension from office will last until judgment of acquittal or guilt. On June 4, President Kiir made public a letter sent to 75 deputies and senior officials (whose names, however, were not disclosed) in which he offered them amnesty in exchange for the return of the stolen money.
"An estimated 4 billion U.S. dollars are unaccounted for or, simply stolen by former and current officials, as well as corrupt individuals with close ties to government officials," said the Chief of the South Sudan State. "Most of these funds have been taken out of the country and deposited in foreign accounts. Some have purchased property, often paid in cash."
The letter has caused great controversy in the country, which has been independent for one year (July 2011), with a precarious economic situation. Some of the addressees of the letter have made their names known, claiming to be innocent. In January, President Kiir had sought help from the U.S. and other countries: Africa, Europe and the Middle East, to get back the funds stolen from the South Sudan Treasury. (L.M.) (Agenzia Fides 13/6/2012)