(Juba) – A prominent South Sudanese political activist and former World Bank economist is at the centre of a complex and high stakes legal case in the United States, involving allegations of a planned coup in South Sudan funded through deception and in violation of international arms laws.
Peter Biar Ajak, 40, who was granted asylum in the US in 2020 after fleeing persecution in South Sudan, now faces federal charges alongside co-accused Abraham Keech, 44. The US Department of Justice has charged both men with conspiring to smuggle approximately $4 million (around 6.56 billion South Sudanese Pounds) worth of military grade weapons, including AK-47 rifles, sniper equipment, grenades, and Stinger missiles, with the alleged aim of overthrowing South Sudan’s government.
Ajak, once hailed for his advocacy against corruption and his role in peacebuilding efforts, is now accused of misleading a hig -profile American financier into unknowingly funding the illegal arms plan.
According to court documents, Robert Granieri, co-founder of the US trading firm Jane Street, provided $7 million (around 11.5 billion SSP) in two instalments, allegedly after being convinced by Ajak during a private meeting in Manhattan in early 2024.
Granieri, 53, who is known for supporting human rights causes, claims he was deceived. His lawyer told US media outlet Bloomberg that Granieri believed he was backing a political reform initiative in South Sudan, not an armed rebellion. “The person Rob thought was a human rights activist defrauded him and lied about his intentions,” his attorney said.
Ajak and Keech pleaded not guilty to the charges during a court appearance in Arizona in March 2024. Their defence team has signalled they may pursue a ‘public authority’ defence, suggesting they were operating with the awareness or backing of US authorities. This legal strategy, if accepted, would argue that the defendants believed their actions were sanctioned by the US government, thus removing criminal intent.
The case has drawn broader geopolitical attention, not only due to the involvement of a well known activist but also because of the implications for US-South Sudan relations. Ajak’s lawyers allege selective prosecution, accusing federal authorities of targeting their two Black clients while not charging other individuals reportedly connected to the affair, including Russian dissident Garry Kasparov. US officials have not accused Kasparov of any wrongdoing.
The attempted export of weapons to South Sudan would have violated both US laws, including the Arms Export Control Act and the Export Control Reform Act and international sanctions. The United Nations Security Council has maintained an arms embargo on South Sudan since 2018, in an effort to stabilise the country following years of internal conflict. The embargo extended again in May this year remains a key component of international efforts to support peace in the region.
US officials have emphasised the seriousness of the case.
“As alleged, the defendants sought to unlawfully smuggle heavy weapons and ammunition from the United States into South Sudan, a country subject to a UN arms embargo due to violence between armed groups that has killed and displaced thousands,” said Matthew G. Olsen, then Assistant Attorney-General for National Security.
“The Department of Justice will not tolerate the illicit export of weapons overseas.”
Ajak’s personal history adds further layers to the story. Born during Sudan’s civil war, he became a child soldier before eventually escaping to the United States, where he earned a degree from the Harvard Kennedy School. He later returned to South Sudan to work as a World Bank economist and became a prominent political voice following the country’s independence in 2011.
His activism led to his arrest at Juba International Airport in July 2018. He was detained for nearly two years in the National Security Service’s “Blue House,” a prison known for torture and harsh conditions.
He was later pardoned by President Salva Kiir in January 2020 and relocated to the US, where he was granted asylum later that year. He publicly credited the Trump administration for providing him refuge.
The current charges, however, mark a dramatic turn for Ajak, who had built a reputation internationally as a reform advocate. His legal team has insisted on his innocence and is preparing for a lengthy trial, which could have wide reaching diplomatic consequences and renewed scrutiny of South Sudan’s political diaspora.
South Sudan, which has endured 15 years of near constant political instability, remains fragile. Though a 2018 peace agreement halted large scale fighting, tensions between rival factions persist. Analysts say this latest development underscores how deeply international networks remain entangled in South Sudan’s internal affairs.
