According to Major Daniel Majak, the state police spokesperson, a total of five individuals have been apprehended so far as investigations into the financial scandal continue. The suspects are currently in custody at Bor Madena Police Station.
“The manager is in police custody at Bor Madena and is undergoing investigation,” said Majak.
The arrests come after Mabior Atem Mabior, one of the school’s directors, filed a formal complaint with the Attorney General. Atem alleges that school funds were withdrawn illegally from Kush Bank, sparking a major controversy over control of the school’s finances and leadership.
Leadership Wrangles Escalate
Bor College High School has been at the center of a leadership dispute between Mabior Atem and Panther Alier Akuei, the Chairperson of the school’s Board of Directors. Akuei had dismissed Atem from his role as both school director and board member, accusing him of financial mismanagement.
However, in a dramatic turn of events, Atem claims it is the opposing group that misused funds — even dragging Kush Bank into the dispute. He says a High Court ruling had reinstated him as the official signatory for the school’s accounts, but the bank allegedly allowed access to other individuals who then withdrew SSP 83 million without his knowledge.
“After the court ruling, I went to the bank with valid documents, only to find that the money had been withdrawn,” Atem said.
“I asked why the bank allowed this while the case was still pending in court. When I got no clear answer, I moved to have the bank manager arrested.”
Court Orders Ignored?
A letter seen by City Review reveals that on February 13, 2020, the President of the Jonglei State High Court, John Yel, had issued an order to freeze Bor College High School’s bank accounts at Kush Bank amid the ownership dispute. Despite this directive, large withdrawals were allegedly made, raising concerns over potential bank negligence or collusion.
Authorities say further investigations will determine how the bank changed signatory rights and authorized withdrawals, and whether any internal procedures were violated.
The scandal has not only exposed potential corruption in the education sector but has also put financial institutions under scrutiny over compliance with legal directives and transparency in handling contested accounts.
