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U.S. Sanctions Two South Sudan Firms Over Graft

The United States Department of Treasury has sanctioned ARC Resource Corporation Ltd and Winners Construction Company Ltd owned by prominent businessman Benjamin Bol Mel. The sanction was released as the world marked International Anti-Corruption Day. South Sudan's Ministry of Foreign Affairs has protested the decision.

Benjamin Bol Mel is engaged in road construction and other infrastructure project contracts worth at least U.S.$3.5 billion, including the construction of the Bor-Juba Road.

In December 2017, Bol Mel and two companies in his vast corporate network, Thai South Sudan Crusher, Aggregates, and Building Materials Company (ABMC) and Home and Away Ltd were designated by the United States for their involvement in corruption in South Sudan.

"Corrupt acts take resources from citizens, undermine public trust, and threaten the progress of those who fight for democracy," said Secretary of the Treasury Janet L. Yellen. "Treasury is committed to countering those who seek personal enrichment at the expense of the people who trust them to to serve - especially in the middle of a global pandemic. We are taking these actions today to expose and hold corrupt leaders accountable."
 

InFocus

Nation Media Group

South Sudanese businessman Benjamin Bol Mel (file photo).

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