South Sudanese General James Hoth Mai Nguoth, who The Sentry Group claims amassed a huge fortune as his country struggled through a civil war, bought a $1.5 Narre Warren property in 2014 in cash for his son. 

The Sentry Group, which was co-founded by George Clooney, has published a report showing the political elite of South Sudan made vast fortunes while being paid modest government salaries.

General Hoth Mai controlled South Sudanese government forces during the nation's civil war, which has been raging for the almost five years since the country gained independence. Thousands have lost their lives during the conflict, and an estimated 2.3 million have been displaced.

Sudanese General Hoth Mai purchased the $1.5 million Narre Warren property in the name of his son, Nguoth Oth Mai, in August 2014.

The previous owner of the house, property developer Michael Mathot, told The Australian the peculiar circumstances of the sale rang alarms bells for him, but The Foreign Investment Review Board was not interested in listening to his concerns.

"They (the buyers) are all in private school clothes, his missus is living in a commission home. There was no mortgage, full cash. I know the money came from him because his kids told me and his wife told me. I rang the investment review board and told them about it and they just gave me the brush-off," he told The Australian.

Australia has given almost $50 million in humanitarian aid to South Sudan since 2013, and has forces on the ground as part of a UN peace keeping mission.

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