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UK firm accused of Lesotho bribes | UK firm accused of Lesotho bribes |
(about 23 hours later) | |
A British company has been accused of bribing two senior Lesotho officials linked to a hydroelectric engineering project to supply South Africa. | A British company has been accused of bribing two senior Lesotho officials linked to a hydroelectric engineering project to supply South Africa. |
Two senior officials, Reatile Mochebelele and Letlafuoa Molapo, are accused of receiving payments. | Two senior officials, Reatile Mochebelele and Letlafuoa Molapo, are accused of receiving payments. |
One of the payments included $147,000 (£74,908; 111,412 euros) paid by UK engineering firm Mott MacDonald. | One of the payments included $147,000 (£74,908; 111,412 euros) paid by UK engineering firm Mott MacDonald. |
This is the first time a British company has been accused of bribing officials connected to the scheme. | This is the first time a British company has been accused of bribing officials connected to the scheme. |
Previously a number of international companies have been convicted of bribing officials linked to the project. | Previously a number of international companies have been convicted of bribing officials linked to the project. |
A forensic audit carried out by the auditors PricewaterhouseCoopers provides details of the money allegedly paid by Mott MacDonald to two of the Lesotho government's representatives on the scheme. | A forensic audit carried out by the auditors PricewaterhouseCoopers provides details of the money allegedly paid by Mott MacDonald to two of the Lesotho government's representatives on the scheme. |
Billion dollar contracts | Billion dollar contracts |
Mott MacDonald is accused of paying the money as part of a consortium led by a German company, Lahmeyer. | Mott MacDonald is accused of paying the money as part of a consortium led by a German company, Lahmeyer. |
Lahmeyer has already been found guilty of corruption and barred from undertaking any projects for the World Bank for the next seven years, unless it co-operates fully with the Bank in disclosing its misconduct. | Lahmeyer has already been found guilty of corruption and barred from undertaking any projects for the World Bank for the next seven years, unless it co-operates fully with the Bank in disclosing its misconduct. |
Lahmeyer has now agreed to help the investigation of the allegations involving Mott MacDonald. | Lahmeyer has now agreed to help the investigation of the allegations involving Mott MacDonald. |
Mott MacDonald have not commented on the allegations. | Mott MacDonald have not commented on the allegations. |
The Lesotho Highlands project is the world's largest water transfer scheme, involving the construction of five massive dams, hundreds of miles of tarmacked roads, bridges and electricity transfer stations. | |
Contracts worth billions of dollars were at stake. | Contracts worth billions of dollars were at stake. |
The Lesotho chief executive of the scheme has already been found guilty, and sentenced to 15 years in jail. | The Lesotho chief executive of the scheme has already been found guilty, and sentenced to 15 years in jail. |
But the tiny kingdom has been one of the few African states not only willing to prosecute its own officials, but also the Western companies who paid the bribes. | But the tiny kingdom has been one of the few African states not only willing to prosecute its own officials, but also the Western companies who paid the bribes. |
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