400 million pounds in salaries stolen from ministry, S. Darfur

About 400 million Sudanese pounds were stolen from a vehicle belonging to the ministry of agriculture and animal rights of Nyala, South Darfur on Monday. The stolen money was going to be used to pay the salaries of the ministry’s staff. An eyewitness told Radio Dabanga that about six gunmen driving Land Cruisers intercepted a Suzuki vehicle headed to the ministry at about 11:30am at the Haya El-Wadi Sharq neighborhood. The driver and a cashier were threatened at gunpoint by the perpetrators who stole the cash and fled to the north of Nyala. Eyewitnesses told Radio Dabanga that while fleeing, the armed group passed next to the headquarters of the police and of the security services, who “did not attempt chasing them”. In a press statement, the Nyala police said the armed group who stole the ministry’s salaries was driving Land Cruisers without license plates. The alleged perpetrators intercepted the “unguarded” Suzuki, which was on its way from the Bank of Sudan to the ministry’s building, and stole “337 million pounds and four mobile phones”. The police confirmed the gunmen fled to the north of Nyala and affirmed its forces are currently chasing the perpetrators.Sources say the area is a stronghold of the Janjaweed militia and border guards.Radio Dabanga file photo