NSS apprehends 2 suspects with fake US dollars, counterfeiting machine

©radiotamazuj.org

JUBA - 27 Jan 2021

The Internal Security Bureau (ISB) of the South Sudan National Security Service (NSS) yesterday, at a press conference at their headquarters, paraded two male suspects arrested with forged United States dollars and counterfeiting machinery.

The director for public relations at the ISB, David John Komuri said the two suspects who were arrested separately, Joseph William Deng, a South Sudanese and Daniel Brown Nema, a Liberian national were found in possession of USA 380,000 and 1.5 Million respectively. The suspects also had paraphernalia and a machine for counterfeiting currency.

“The suspects are Joseph William Deng, a South Sudanese, who was arrested with US$ 380,000 as you witness here. Daniel Brown Nema is a Liberian national, was arrested with a counterfeiting machine and fake US$ 1.5 Million,” Komuri said. “ All of you are aware that there are black and white banknote sized papers alleged to be US dollar currency notes that have been dyed to avoid detection by the authorities and security apparatus of South Sudan.”

According to South Sudan Penal code Act 2008, section 153, counterfeiting coins, notes and 158 of the law possessing instruments or materials for purpose of using the same for counterfeiting coins or notes are national security crimes and both are punishable with imprisonment terms not exceeding 7 years and the suspect if found guilty may also be liable to fines. "We want the citizens to be aware and watchful in respect to these illegal and sophisticated financial schemes to protect themselves or their businesses from this network of criminals.

We also urge the citizens to ensure cooperation with security agents in combating economic crimes for a better Republic of South Sudan," Komuri said. He said that the ISB-NSS will continue to dismantle the criminal networks in the country. Joseph William Deng confirmed during an interview with the press that he was the owner of the fake currency and that he was arrested with it and would not deny his crime. “The crime that brought me here is that I was arrested with this fake currency. It is true it was found with me. This work is all over South Sudan. I also did it because of hunger and to survive. It is the first time I have done this. I started on the 6th of January,” said Deng. He said that he was arrested before releasing the fake hard currency into the market.

The Liberian suspect, Daniel Brown, 57 years old also said, “I am here because I got involved in money laundering. I have a machine that gives the impression of a clean dollar. I started this work in South Sudan in 2016 till 2018,” Brown said. “My partners are mainly West Africans who left. I came back in 2018 and was arrested in June 2018.” A third suspect, Abdul Qadir Abdul Majed, a Sudanese national from Darfur, who claimed to be a client of the two accused, said that he had started working on counterfeiting hard currency since January 6 this year. “These things are not mine. These things belong to these two people (William Deng and Daniel Brown).” he said. It remained unclear why the Sudanese national who was also arrested by the national security was not mentioned during the press conference, if he was linked to the same crime as the third person.