Joseph Majak Madut, representing the Ruweng Administrative Area Community Development Committee - Credit: Michael Daniel/Eye Radio/April 13, 2026

The High Court in Juba has cleared the way for a major financial dispute to proceed to a full hearing, dismissing a preliminary objection by the Ministry of Finance in a case involving the alleged unlawful withdrawal of $2.5 million from a community oil fund.

Presiding Judge Lawrence Jaja ruled on Monday that the Ministry’s objection lacked sufficient legal grounds. The court directed that the case move forward to determine the merits of the allegations through a formal examination of evidence and key points of contention.

The legal action was initiated by Joseph Majak Madut, representing the Ruweng Administrative Area Community Development Committee. The suit names the Bank of South Sudan and the Ministry of Finance and Planning as defendants.

The dispute traces back to January 2023. According to the committee, $2.5 million—representing the 3% share of oil revenue legally mandated for oil-producing communities—was withdrawn from their account without the authorization or knowledge of signatories.

“The money was removed unlawfully, without notice to the signatories to the account or the beneficiary,” Majak stated following the ruling. “The legal advisor of the Ministry of Finance and Planning objected, claiming we do not have a case. Today, the court dismissed that objection. We should go ahead and prove our case.”

Beyond the missing $2.5 million, Majak revealed that the Ruweng community has not received its allocated 3% oil revenue share for the past 14 months, despite the continuation of oil production in the area.

The committee alleges a disparity in payments, claiming that while the national government and the Ruweng administration continue to receive their respective shares, the community-specific fund remains unpaid and inaccessible.

The committee originally filed the lawsuit in September 2025 after several failed attempts to reverse the disputed transaction administratively. With the preliminary legal hurdles now cleared, the plaintiffs’ legal team expressed readiness to present evidence substantiating the alleged unauthorized withdrawal.

The High Court has scheduled the next hearing for April 24, 2026, when it will begin examining the specific merits of the case.