Conflicts erupt between South Darfur officials about embezzlement

Conflicts between members of the ruling National Congress Party (NCP) in South Darfur about embezzlement of election funds and the distribution of expired sugar are reportedly escalating.

Millions of election funds have reportedly disappeared into the pockets of some NCP officials. In addition, about 1,000 kg of contaminated sugar have been re-packed in sacks of the Kenana Sugar Company, and distributed to the state’s localities, allegedly as bribes, during the general election that took place between 13 and 16 April.

A well-informed source told Radio Dabanga from South Darfur’s capital of Nyala that Governor Adam Mahmoud Jarelnabi, during a meeting of members of the ruling National Congress Party (NCP), threatened to dissolve the state’s NCP Political Bureau, and to bring any official involved in the scandals to justice.

He said that charges have been filed against a merchant in Nyala concerning the sale of contaminated sugar. "Yet, many fingers point to the deputy head of the South Darfur NCP branch as being one of the main suspects in the sugar scandal."

According to the charges, it was agreed that the merchant would sell a 50 kg sack of sugar for SDG120 ($20), but NCP reports to Khartoum stated that the sugar was bought by NCP officials to distribute it to the localities at a price of SDG350 ($59) per sack.

Carcinogens

Earlier this month, Radio Dabanga reported that large amounts of contaminated sugar were distributed to the markets in South Darfur. A member of the Sudanese Standards and Metrology Organisation warned the South Darfuris to be alert when buying sugar.

He said that South Darfur authorities sent samples of the sugar to Khartoum to be tested. “The tests showed that the expired sugar contained carcinogens. The consumption of a small quantity of 5 to 7 grams is enough to cause cancer,” he explained. 

Each of the 21 localities in South Darfur received 5,000 kg. Yet most of the contaminated sugar was distributed at the markets. “The expired sugar is currently sold for the price of SDG240 ($40) per sack, which is SDG70 ($12) lower than the real market price,” a listener told Radio Dabanga from Nyala on 9 April.