Ponzi scam victims’ spokesman moved to prison in N. Darfur

Security authorities in El Fasher yesterday decided to transfer the spokesman of the Mawasir Market victims’ committee to Shalla Prison because he gave a speech last Friday criticizing the government. Adam Hamid was arrested Tuesday at his office and detained at facilities of the security service. He is the spokesman of a committee formed to represent the thousands of victims of the Ponzi scheme that roiled Darfur earlier this year.Ahmed Yagub, vice chairman of the victims’ committee, told Radio Dabanga that security authorities informed them that the arrest of Adam Hamid was carried out under powers of the Emergency Law. The arrest was prompted by the speech he made Friday in El Fasher blaming constitutional officials, including the governor of North Darfur, for what happened at the Mawasir Market.

Yagub explained that the security authorities allowed visitors to go yesterday to Adam Hamid, before he was transferred to Shalla Prison.

In another development, the investigatory panel formed to handle the Mawasir case announced arrests of new suspects in Darfur and Khartoum. Yasser Ahmed Mohamed, vice chairman of the investigatory committee, spoke to reporters after returning from El Fasher to Khartoum on Tuesday. He announced the seizure of a number of funds of defendants, along with real estate and movables, but he did not disclose details. He explained that his committee will resume its work after Eid Al Adha. The victims’ committee had been critical of the government for the slow pace of the investigation.

The Mawasir Market was an investment scam that lured investors to deposit cash, automobiles or other properties with agents who promised them to reimburse them at a later date at above-market prices.