Petroleum ministry accuses former undersecretary Thon of leaking confidential documents

JUBA — The Ministry of Petroleum has accused its former Undersecretary, Dr Chol Thon Abel, of leaking confidential government correspondence linking incumbent Undersecretary Deng Lual to a $2.5 billion oil-related scandal.

In a statement issued on Thursday, the Ministry said the two leaked letters — dated October 27 and October 31, 2025 — were legitimate government correspondence but “taken out of context and misrepresented online” under “false and defamatory.”

The letters, according to the statement, were addressed to the Country Managers of ONGC Nile Ganga B.V. and CNODC/CNPC, seeking possible advance payments of $1 billion and $1.5 billion, respectively.

The ministry claimed that these communications were “preliminary and procedural” and formed part of ongoing inter-ministerial discussions aimed at securing advance financial arrangements against South Sudan’s crude oil entitlements.

“These were not finalised or approved transactions, and no funds have been remitted, received, or disbursed to the Government of the Republic of South Sudan,” the statement read.

The ministry stressed that all financial decisions related to oil proceeds fall under the authority of the Ministry of Finance and Planning, describing its own role as limited to technical and procedural matters guided by policy directives from the finance ministry.

In a sharp rebuke, the Ministry directly accused Thon of “unlawfully retaining official documents and office stamps after leaving office” and subsequently leaking the classified correspondences” with the apparent intent to mislead the public and tarnish the image of the Ministry and its leadership.”

“Such actions are unethical, unlawful, and detrimental to the reputation and credibility of the Government of South Sudan,” the statement said.

The Ministry confirmed that the matter has been referred to national security and investigative authorities for immediate investigation and possible legal action.

Reaffirming its commitment to “transparency, accountability, and the protection of national interests,” the Ministry urged the public to disregard the “false and misleading” reports circulating online and rely only on verified information issued through official government channels.

But the ministry did not state the purposes for which the money would be used. The letter released on Thursday also lacks an official signature, contradicting the ministry’s claims about commitment to transparency and accountability.