Credit: africommons.com /  The United States has imposed sanctions on Nabah Ltd, owned and controlled by Sudanese businessman, Ashraf Seed Ahmed Al-Cardinal

By Gary Raynaldo   DIPLOMATIC TIMES

The United States on Tuesday sanctioned a company controlled by Sudanese businessman Ashraf Seed Ahmed Al-Cardinal linked to to the ongoing corruption in South Sudan. The U.S. Department of State  said Al-Cardinal has been previously designated for his role in corruption connected to the young South Sudanese government.  Nabah Ltd, which is registered in the United Kingdom, is one of the companies owned or controlled by Al-Cardinal.  He  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 State Department said.  The US action designates Nabah Ltd. pursuant to Executive Order 13818, which builds upon and implements the Global Magnitsky Human Rights Accountability Act.”  In early 2019, the South Sudanese government paid millions of dollars to a company owned by Al-Cardinal ostensibly for food, but that in fact was routed to senior South Sudanese government officials, the the US Treasury Department said.

As a result of the 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.