The suspect, identified as Akol Mou Wol, has been in custody since July 14, according to the state police spokesperson, Madut Ngong Aleu, who briefed journalists in Aweil on Tuesday.
Aleu said police arrested Wol following reports that he had been moving from place to place exchanging fake U.S. dollar notes with local traders and residents.
“We have detained the suspect because he came into the state with counterfeit dollars. This is a serious crime because it cheats people into accepting fake money,” Aleu said.
According to the police spokesperson, Criminal Investigation Department (CID) officers launched an operation after receiving intelligence about the suspect’s activities. He said the investigation remains active as officers seek to establish whether the suspect was acting alone or as part of a wider network involved in counterfeit currency.
Aleu alleged that preliminary findings indicate Wol travelled to Northern Bahr el Ghazal from Nimule and had previously been arrested over a similar offence before being released.
“According to what he told us, he came from Nimule and was arrested while carrying out similar activities last year but was later released. We are questioning why he was released without being charged because, based on our investigation, he appears to have no other source of livelihood apart from this activity,” Aleu said.
Police also suspect the accused may have accomplices involved in distributing counterfeit currency, although no additional arrests have been announced.
Aleu urged business owners and members of the public to exercise caution when conducting transactions involving foreign currency, particularly U.S. dollars, and advised them to verify banknotes before accepting them.
“We appeal to traders and the public not to accept dollar notes from unknown individuals without verifying that they are genuine,” he said.
During the media briefing, the suspect denied deliberately engaging in counterfeiting, claiming he unknowingly came into possession of the fake money after selling his smartphone.
Wol told journalists that he received US$300 from the sale of the phone and only discovered later that the notes were counterfeit.
He also claimed he had previously been arrested in Nimule and transferred to Juba, where he was detained before being released. According to him, he later travelled to Aweil still carrying the money.
“I received the money after selling my smartphone and did not know it was fake. I wanted to start a small business selling phones to support my family,” he said.
The suspect further said he attempted to exchange the money with a Somali trader at Ham Seiko market, but the trader identified the notes as counterfeit and returned them to him.
He said financial hardship and the need to support his sick child influenced his actions, insisting that he never intended to defraud anyone.
“My child is sick, and I was desperate to find money for treatment. I now advise others not to get involved in anything like this because it is very risky,” Wol said.
South Sudan continues to face a severe economic crisis marked by high inflation, currency instability and widespread unemployment, conditions that have left many young people struggling to earn a living. While authorities acknowledge these challenges, police stress that economic hardship cannot justify criminal activity.
Officials in Aweil said the investigation is nearing completion and that Wol will be arraigned before a competent court, where the allegations against him will be determined in accordance with South Sudanese law. As with any criminal case, the suspect is presumed innocent unless proven guilty in court.
