May 11, 2008
A multi-million mistake
This is going to be very awkward for someone.
Sudan's state news agency SUNA put out this statement earlier today, offering a multi million reward for the capture of Khalil Ibrahim, leader of the Justice and Equality Movement (JEM) - the Darfur rebels who attacked Khartoum this weekend.
250 Million Assigned as Prize for Arresting Khalil Ibrahim
Khartoum, May 11 (SUNA) - A senior military source in the General Command of the Armed Forces announced that 250 million pounds are assigned as prize for any person who arrests the fleeing Khalil Ibrahim or inform about his place through the telephones 999. 99193, 0183-767557 and 0120977053. He appreciated the citizens' alert and unlimited and fruitful cooperation with the security authorities.
In today's money, 250 million new Sudanese pounds is worth about $125 million - not a bad reward. Hardly surprisingly, many people took the story and ran with it.
The only trouble is that they are not new Sudanese pounds. They published the figure using the old currency by mistake. 250 million old Sudanese pounds is worth 'only' about $125,000.
You have to feel sorry for whoever ends up risking their lives to detain Darfur's most powerful rebel leader then doesn't quite end up the millionaire he thought he was going to be.
Posted by aheavens at May 11, 2008 7:54 PM