http://southsudannewsagency.org/index.php/2018/10/12/ssna-editor-blasts-kenya-over-money-laundering-claims/

Nairobi, October 12, 2018 (SSNA) — A South Sudanese news editor has harshly criticized Kenya over what he described as “immoral actions” committed by the Kenyan government, saying the East African nation has become a paradise for South Sudan’s war crimes suspects who exploit the ongoing conflict to enrich themselves. The news editor also lambasted Kenya for harboring war criminals.

The criticism comes less than a week after a documentary, “The Profiteers,” produced by an award-winning Kenyan investigative journalist John Allan Namu of ‘Africa Uncensored’ was released.

Duop Chak Wuol, the editor-in-chief of the South Sudan News Agency, condemns the Kenyan authorities and financial institutions for facilitating what he labeled as “pure corruption and looting” of the young nation wealth, asserting that he is not surprised by Kenyan complicity in South Sudan crisis.

“This new development is unconscionable, to say the least. But I am not surprised by it because Kenya has been complicit in South Sudan looting spree since day one,” Duop wrote on his Facebook profile Thursday.

“These immoral actions committed by Kenyan financial institutions on behalf of known war criminals went beyond common sense. This is merely a pure corruption and looting of our country wealth,” he added.

Known for his critical writings, Duop declares the Kenyan government as “an enemy of the people of South Sudan” and calls on Kenyans to put maximum pressure on Kenyatta’s government. He also labeled Kenya as “haven” for South Sudanese money launderers.

“There was indisputable evidence showing Kenyan government was a hidden ally of Kiir’s atrocious regime. There were also plausible reasons to believe that Kenyatta was recruited by Ugandan President Yoweri Museveni to be part of regional leaders who support Kiir. This assumption was strengthened after Nairobi deported James Gatdet Dak to Juba in November 2016,” Duop recalls, adding, “There is no doubt in my mind that the government of Kenya is now a sworn enemy of the people of South Sudan.”

In the documentary, John shows how powerful South Sudanese politicians and military leaders laundered money through Kenyan banks. The film also exposes dirty dealings between Kenyan leadership and South Sudan’s elites.

President Salva Kiir, Former SPLA chief of staff Pal Malong Awan and his son Lauren Lual Malong Yor Jr AKAYoung Tycoon, Deputy Speaker of South Sudan parliament Daniel Awet Akot, Former finance and petroleum minister Stephen Dhiu Dau, Deputy Defense Minister Malek Reuben Riak, and many other politicians and military elites are implicated in the new movie.

The movie reveals that many Kenyan financial entities involved in money laundering. However, the film shows that the Kenya Commercial Bank (KCB) Equity Bank are the biggest launderer of illicit money from South Sudan.

In the third series of the film, the ‘Africa Unconcerned’ shows that South Sudan’s main rebel movement, the Sudan People’s Liberation Movement/Army-In Opposition (SPLM-IO), involved in the illegal timber trade, citing SPLM-IO Yei River State Governor Frank Matata Elikana as the culprit.

The documentary, “The Profiteers,” was originally scheduled to be aired by the Kenya Television Network (KTN). But the network abruptly canceled the program minutes before the airing begins, citing threat from the Kenyan government.

Kenyans became angry after the cancellation was announced. On Thursday, Kenyan activists joined by South Sudanese staged a huge demonstration in Nairobi, calling on the Kenyan government to deport corrupt South Sudan’s officials and urge Kenyan banks to stop laundering money from the war-wracked young nation.

The film further explains that Paul Malong, who owns a mansion in Nairobi’s suburb of Nyari, is too close to the Kenyan leadership and President Uhuru Kenyatta and his Deputy William Ruto. The movie shows that the two men visited Malong at a hospital on 23 and 24 of December 2016 and states that Paul Malong met with Kikuyu Council of Elders and Kalenjin Council of Elders days before he formed his rebel movement. President Kenyatta hails from Kikuyu tribe and his deputy Ruto comes from Kalenjin tribe.

The South Sudan News Agency understands that President Kiir owns many mansions and high-rise buildings in Kenya and Uganda. Kiir also owns an expansive building in Bishoftu, a town located in South-East Addis Ababa.