US sanctions business entity linked to South Sudan corruption

WASHINGTON – The United States on Tuesday sanctioned a business company linked to the ongoing corruption in South Sudan, the world’s youngest country, according to  statements by the US Secretary of State, Mike Pompeo, and the US Treasury.

The company identified as Nabah Ltd. is based and registered in the United Kingdom and has been the subject of sanction evasion by senior government officials, according to the statement released today.

“Today, the United States imposed economic sanctions on Nabah Ltd., a company owned or controlled by Ashraf Seed Ahmed Al-Cardinal,” Pompeo said in a statement seen by Sudans Post.

Ashraf al-Cardinal is a Sudanese businessman with links to senior government officials in South Sudan including President Salva Kiir Mayardit. He was sanctioned in 2019 for helping senior South Sudan leaders evade sanctions by keeping money in foreign accounts in its name.

“Al-Cardinal was designated for engaging in corruption, including participating in bribery, kickbacks, and procurement fraud involving senior South Sudanese government officials.  He and his companies act as intermediaries for depositing and holding large amounts of funds for senior-level South Sudanese officials outside of South Sudan in an attempt to avoid sanctions,” the statement said.

The statement said the “action designates Nabah Ltd. pursuant to Executive Order 13818, which builds upon and implements the Global Magnitsky Human Rights Accountability Act.”

It further warned that the world power is “is committed to the enforcement of its sanctions, including through targeting sanctions evasion schemes such as the one carried out by Al-Cardinal and his businesses.”

The US Treasury also said on its website that Al-Cardinal is involved in a “sanctions evasion scheme in which a senior South Sudanese official used a bank account in the name of one of Al-Cardinal’s companies to store his personal funds in an attempt to avoid the effects of U.S. sanctions.”

“As a result of today’s action, all property and interests in property of the individual and entity above, and of any entities that are owned, directly or indirectly, 50 percent or more by them, individually, or with other blocked persons, that are in the United States or in the possession or control of U.S. persons, are blocked and must be reported to OFAC.

“Unless authorized by a general or specific license issued by OFAC or otherwise exempt, OFAC’s regulations generally prohibit all transactions by U.S. persons or within (or transiting) the United States that involve any property or interests in property of designated or otherwise blocked persons.

“The prohibitions include the making of any contribution or provision of funds, goods, or services by, to, or for the benefit of any blocked person or the receipt of any contribution or provision of funds, goods or services from any such person.”

Sanctions against ex-Gambian president’s wife

The US Treasury also sanctioned Zineb Souma Jammeh, the former Gambian first lady whose husband, Yahya Jammeh, was forced into exile in 2017 after losing election in favor of an opposition leader.

It said Zineb was sanctioned for “for having materially assisted, sponsored, or provided financial, material, or technological support for, or goods or services to or in support of Jammeh.”