Internal Anti-Money Laundering Policies and the Perceived Performance of Commercial Banks in South Sudan

Internal anti-money laundering (AML) policies translate regulatory requirements into organisational responsibilities and procedures, but their relationship with bank performance remains uncertain in fragile financial environments. This study examined internal policies and perceived performance among commercial bank officers in South Sudan. Guided by the COSO Internal Control Integrated Framework and a postpositivist orientation, it used a cross-sectional survey with supplementary open-ended responses. All 25 operational commercial banks were included in the institutional frame; 350 officers were purposively invited and 332 responded (94.86%). Analysis combined descriptive statistics, reliability assessment, principal component analysis, diagnostic assessment, Pearson correlation, ordinary least squares regression and thematic interpretation. Internal policies correlated positively with perceived performance (r = .620). The association remained positive after controlling for customer due diligence, suspicious transaction reporting and compliance audits (B = .093, β = .159, conventional p < .001). The adjusted model explained 73.0% of respondent-level outcome variation. Open-ended accounts emphasised training, policy review, risk-based implementation, accountability, technological coordination and resources. The findings suggest that internal policies form part of a connected compliance system associated with favourable performance assessments. Cross-sectional, shared-source measurement and unadjusted within-bank dependence limit causal and population inference.

internal policies; anti-money laundering; perceived performance

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