(VICTORIA, AUSTRALIA) – The family of South Sudan’s Minister of Labour, James Hoth Mai, has regained ownership of a $1.5 million house in Victoria, Australia, after it was confiscated in 2017, according to local media reports. The Victoria County Court ruled in favour of the family on 23 December 2025.
The property, a five-bedroom house in Narre Warren, was originally purchased in 2014. In 2017, the Australian Federal Police sought restraining orders on the house and an Audi car, suspecting the assets were proceeds of crime. At the time, court documents noted that the house and vehicle were registered in the names of the minister’s son and daughter.
The court also heard that neither Minister Hoth Mai, his wife, nor their children have ever been charged with any offences in Australia or abroad. The family first arrived in Australia on humanitarian visas in the early 2000s.
The ruling means that the minister’s family has now fully reclaimed the property and can resume ownership. Minister Hoth Mai has not yet publicly commented on the decision.
Property Value
| Asset | Value in USD | Value in SSP (7,100 SSP/USD) |
|---|---|---|
| Narre Warren House | 1,500,000 USD | 10,650,000,000 SSP |
| Audi Car | Not specified | Not specified |
