The UK Serious Fraud Office (SFO) says it is unable to confirm or deny that it holds information in relation to the activities of Mabey & Johnson in Guyana – the firm which was recently prosecuted for bribing a string of officials in Jamaica and elsewhere.
Mabey & Johnson was the contractor for the Berbice River floating bridge. The SFO’s response came in reply to an official request from Stabroek News for information under the UK’s Freedom of Information Act.
Earlier this year, the bridge-building firm became the first major British company to be convicted of foreign bribery. Many of its contracts were financially supported by the British taxpayer.
The UK Telegraph on September 29, 2009 reported that the company was convicted of bribing 12 officials in six countries: Ghana Angola, Madagascar, Mozambique, Bangladesh and Jamaica.
In the Southwark crown court, London, John Hardy QC for the SFO, revealed the names of 12 individuals in six countries alleged to have received bribes from the Reading-based Mabey and Johnson.
He said the company paid “a wide-ranging series of bribes” totalling £470,000 to politicians and officials in Ghana.
He identified five persons who travelled to Britain to collect sums of money from bank accounts in London and Watford.
The Telegraph reported Hardy as saying that over eight years, the firm gave £100,000 “to buy the favours” of a key Jamaican official in awarding contracts, one of them worth £14 million.
The UK court was told how the firm paid bribes totalling £1 million to foreign politicians and officials to get export orders valued at £60 million to £70 million through covert middlemen.
The Mabey family built up a fortune of more than £200 million by selling steel bridges internationally.
The company also broke UN sanctions by illegally paying £363,000 to Saddam Hussein’s government from 2001 – 2002.
The Telegraph pointed out that the first conviction was hailed as a landmark by the British government, which had been heavily criticised for failing to prosecute any UK firm for foreign bribery. The firm is to pay out more than £6.5 million, including fines and reparations to foreign governments.
The UK newspaper reported that Mabey &Johnson pleaded guilty to corruption in a pioneering deal with the SFO. It was the first time the agency has concluded a US-style plea bargain with a firm accused of corruption overseas.
The company said it had reformed itself, stopped making corrupt payments, and got rid of five executives. Timothy Langdale, the firm’s QC, said: “This is a new company. It is not the one which made these payments,” The Telegraph reported.
Stabroek News had written to the SFO office on October 6, 2009 enquiring as to whether there was any investigation of the contract award in Guyana.
The SFO replied on October 30, 2009 saying that “We can neither confirm nor deny, under s31 (1) (a) of the FOIA, that information is held in relation to the activities of Mabey & Johnson in Guyana. Confirmation that information is or is not held could prejudice the prevention and detection of crime. Confirming incidence of an investigation increases the possibility for suspected criminals to identify whether their actions are under investigation or not. If an individual could ascertain whether they were under investigation, it could render the public authority’s investigation process ineffective as the disclosure as to whether such information was held could result in an individual modifying his/her behaviour in ways that might frustrate any such investigation.”
The reply was provided by Tracy Gildersleeves Freedom of Information Officer along with a copy of Section 31 of the Act.
NO WAY….With all the records these people bunning up it will be difficult to determine if there is any more papers left in Guyana.
Where there’s smoke there’s fire. In Guyana’s culture of rampant corruption it’s more than likely some official received an inducement for a favour performed. Keep digging Stabroeknews. The population must be informed of wrongdoings lurking in the halls of government.
BORAPORK……most of the time Contracts are awarded base on I know you and that why so many contractors go to jail in America.
Design-Build, and Design-Bid-Build are two different dilivery systems. The Berbice River Bridge had to be Build on a Design-Build dilivery system and to retain a constructor an A/E Firm had to be selected to produce the design……take it from their.
Who in the PPP have an Heavy Engineering back ground that can produce a design of that nature? I have to make friends and rub shoulders with so Guys because I want to make this a Political football…..the higest come forward. The Guyanese People at home are affraid to ask the serious questions…..these questions you ask them in a court of law.
The PPP seems to have close links with questionable companies and individuals …..this is becoming a frequent story these days…..hmmm
Racial Nepotism; Corruption, Bribery; Assassinations; TORTURE; Bad Governance; Corrupt Judiciary; Crimes; Increased Poverty and Increased Drug Related Wealth.
The PPP has all the classical signs of a collapsing government that is unresponsive to the needs of all its citizens, despite their voting preference.
Madame !
What is alarming, if not scary about you, is that you seem engrossed in hate, malice, vituperation, revenge and immersed in political nonsense.
You turned the tragic death of an innocent angel into hate-mongering and stupidity.
Have you no shame ?
Engrossed is not the correct word to best describe this blogger but more like gross.The hurt laid on this lady by the PPP must have her jumping out of her skin.She is now programmed to attack on most everything that happens in Guyana.
Did Noah have woodpeckers on the ark? If he did, where did he keep them?
This is a distraction to the real issues at hand BISma!!
Ya’ll stap forcing de SFO fon seh wha ya’ll wan fo hear, if dem na wan talk den ah lil tarcha gon mek dem talk.Guyanese has got to learn to accept reality and the truth because it is easier for politicians to tell you what you want to hear rather than the actual facts or the truth.
There is no doubt that all the payments made will be so covered that bribery will not be as evident. The company will use the previous experiences and attempt to cover its tracks. The masters of deception who would be at the Guyana end will certainly be able to provide excellent cover.It will be a difficult case indeed!
Not so difficult.There are “whistle-blowers”,who will divulge valuable information.Its only a matter of time.The investigative reporters,are very efficient!!!!!.
SN good story. Step on it. Keep up the viligance as the watchdog of society. Democracy is not only about free and fair elections, it is also about accountability, rule of law and respect for the human rights of all. Remake that pre-1992 journalism mould. The society needs you.
Guyanese at their best ….corruption / bribe and their mouth piece —Guyanese can sell ICE to the Eskimo …. Rule #1
GET THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT IN GUYANA NOW !
Cunnu Munnu.Nice. When that act is out, I would like to see all national security documents signed by the illgal regime rom 1964-92. The army, police, Home Affairs, Justice Ministry, Attorney General,People’s Militia, National Service,and the two illegal pesidents.How do you like that?
good job stab/news like i always say FAIR AND BALANCED..