Fresh scrutiny is mounting over Crawford Capital, the private company that rose to become one of South Sudan’s most influential revenue collection firms, after investigative reports linked politically connected individuals—including Adut Salva Kiir Mayardit, daughter of President Salva Kiir—to the wider network surrounding the company.
While available public records do not identify Adut Salva Kiir as a registered shareholder, investigative reports and whistleblower accounts have repeatedly placed her within the political circle surrounding Crawford Capital’s operations and the influential figures accused of facilitating its rapid expansion across South Sudan’s government.
The scandal has become one of the biggest governance controversies in South Sudan, touching virtually every major revenue-generating government department—from taxation and immigration to oil permits, business licensing, health certificates and electronic payments.
## A Company That Entered the Heart of Government
Crawford Capital entered South Sudan as a technology and electronic payment service provider before rapidly expanding into government revenue collection.
Its systems were reportedly used to process taxes, visa fees, import payments, business registration charges, trade licences, health certificate payments and oil-sector permits, placing the company at the centre of billions of South Sudanese pounds worth of public transactions every year.
Investigators later questioned whether too much control over public revenue had effectively been outsourced to a private company.
## The 75 Percent Revenue Share
One of the most controversial aspects of Crawford Capital’s operations was a reported 2019 agreement under which the company allegedly retained 75 percent of profits generated from certain electronic government services while the Government of South Sudan received the remaining 25 percent.
The arrangement immediately attracted scrutiny because it involved public services such as licences, taxes and permits—areas traditionally managed directly by government institutions.
Questions continue to linger over how such an agreement was negotiated, who approved it and whether it represented value for public money.
## Millions From Taxes and Oil
Investigative reports estimate Crawford Capital earned more than US$5 million annually through electronic tax collection systems.
The company was also reportedly earning up to US$11.5 million every year from processing oil permit payments, making it one of the most financially powerful private contractors operating within South Sudan’s public sector.
Beyond taxation and petroleum, Crawford-linked entities expanded into immigration services, health certification, business registration, trade licensing and even sought involvement in collecting international aircraft overflight fees.
## President’s Daughter Named in Investigative Reports
Although Adut Salva Kiir Mayardit has never been publicly listed among Crawford Capital’s shareholders, investigative reporting has repeatedly linked her to the political network surrounding the company.
Adut serves as Senior Presidential Envoy for Special Programmes, placing her within the Presidency during the period Crawford Capital expanded its influence across government institutions.
Reports describe her as politically connected to key figures managing Crawford Capital, including majority shareholder Garang Mayom Kuoc Malek, though publicly available records do not show direct ownership in her name.
## Kenyan Investor Also Appears
The scandal also has a Kenyan dimension.
Businessman Jeremy Gisemba has been identified in reports as one of Crawford Capital’s major shareholders, allegedly holding approximately 26 percent of Crawford Capital and more than 23 percent of Capital Pay, another company linked to the revenue collection network.
His reported shareholding places Kenya within one of South Sudan’s biggest public finance controversies.
## The Presidential Family Connections
Investigators also traced links between Crawford Capital executives and members of President Salva Kiir’s family.
Reports indicate that Crawford Capital majority shareholder Garang Mayom Kuoc Malek and Ruey Majok Guandong had previously established another company together with Mayar Salva Kiir, one of President Salva Kiir’s sons.
While previous business relationships do not, on their own, establish wrongdoing, they have fuelled public interest in how Crawford Capital secured access to multiple government revenue systems.
## The Whistleblower Who Vanished
The controversy intensified dramatically following the reported disappearance of South Sudanese businessman Gaddhaffy Athorbey Guiet Chuit.
According to reports cited in the investigation, Gaddhaffy had been sharing information with journalists and investigators concerning Crawford Capital’s ownership, contracts and revenue collection systems before he was allegedly abducted in Nairobi in June 2026.
His family later claimed he had been transferred to South Sudan and detained at the Giyada military intelligence facility.
The investigation notes there is no public evidence directly linking Adut Salva Kiir Mayardit or Crawford Capital to the alleged abduction, although investigators highlighted that the businessman had reportedly been discussing Crawford Capital before his disappearance.
## Government Attempted Suspension
Questions surrounding Crawford Capital’s operations became so significant that South Sudan’s Minister of Trade reportedly ordered the company’s electronic payment systems suspended for 90 days in March 2026 to allow a technical and administrative review.
However, that decision was later reversed by Vice President James Wani Igga, allowing Crawford Capital to continue operating. The minister was subsequently removed from office.
The reversal has become another focal point in discussions about whether politically connected companies receive protection within South Sudan’s public sector.
## Revenue Transparency Questions
Investigative reports also raised concerns over apparent gaps between money expected from government services and revenue reflected in official state accounts.
The investigation states that researchers struggled to independently verify the total amounts collected through Crawford-linked systems because complete transaction records were not publicly available.
Those concerns have intensified calls for greater transparency over private companies entrusted with collecting public revenue.
## A Scandal That Continues to Raise Questions
The Crawford Capital affair remains one of the most closely watched governance controversies in South Sudan.
Investigative reports continue to examine political influence, beneficial ownership, government procurement and the role of private companies in collecting public revenue.
While many allegations remain contested and some have yet to be tested through formal judicial proceedings, the case has raised broader questions about transparency, oversight and accountability in the management of state revenue systems.
For now, Crawford Capital’s operations—and the network of politically connected individuals reported to surround the company—remain under continued public and investigative scrutiny.
