A Kenyan High Court judge says he has been requested by the government of South Sudan to reverse an order issued by the court to seize $18 million from its assets in Kenya.

Justice Fred Ochieng says the government of South Sudan argues that the money in an account with the Stanbic Bank is part of the country’s emergency operation fund.

The account was attached to other accounts and assets South Sudan has in Kenya. They were frozen last year following a lawsuit by a Khartoum-based company, the Active Partners Group.

Lawyers of the company say South Sudan had illegally cancelled a $197 million dollar tender awarded to it for a project to bring electricity to the country.

The company says that before the cancellation, it had already spent $12 million dollars in project survey, designs, salaries, air charters and various equipment for the project.

It was rewarded some $18 million in compensation.

Eye Radio contacted the Minister of Justice, Paulino Wanawila for a comment on the matter, but he declined to comment.

“Please, I have nothing to tell you Eye Radio. Thank you. I have told you I have nothing to say to you, do you understand that?” he said.

However, Business Daily newspaper says the undersecretary in the Ministry of Justice, Jeremiah Swaka, submitted documents to the court, saying the government would pay in installments.

More here..