FG strikes deal with Siemens to withdraw charges
In a deal similar to one initiated with the international companies involved in the Halliburton bribery scandal, the federal government yesterday withdrew bribery charges against Siemens transnational corporation.

Attorney General of the federation and Minister of Justice, Mohammed Adoke, told a press conference that the government’s decision to discontinue the criminal prosecution against the multinational telecommunications giant was borne out of the company’s sober expression of regret and its undertaking to be of good conduct in all its future business dealings in the country.

The company also agreed to pay a fine of N7 billion, three times the amount of bribes it was accused of giving, and promised to put in place a committee comprising of two nominees of the federal government, to monitor its activities.

“The heavy fines that have been imposed on Siemens, apart from the deterrence effect, will go a long way in financing infrastructural delivery in the country,” Mr. Adoke said.

“I appreciate the yearnings of some Nigerians for jail sentences to be imposed on those who contribute to the economic adversity of the country by way of corrupt practices, but the restitution that has been done in the case of Siemens is important in the overall process of redeeming the image of the country,” he added.

In September, the federal government said it had dropped criminal charges against construction giant, Julius Berger Plc, and its staff that were charged, along with Adeyanju Bodunde, a special assistant to former president Olusegun Obasanjo, for complicity in the $180 million Halliburton bribery scandal.

Case continues

Consequently, Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), which was supposed to arraign the suspects before Justice Danlami Senchi at an Abuja High Court on an amended 35-count charge yesterday, removed the company from its list of suspects in the case.

The remaining accused persons, former executive director of the Power Holding Company of Nigeria (PHCN), Maigada Shuaibu; former permanent secretary of the ministry of power and steel, Mahmood Sadiq Mohammed; former Nigeria Telecommunications (NITEL) general manager of finance, Emmanuel Chukwuemeka Ossai; and former MTEL managing director, Edwin Moore Momife, had asked for more time to enable them look at the EFCC’s charges against them.

The suspects will, therefore, appear before Justice Senchi on Tuesday to answer to the new 18-count charges against them.

In 2002, the accused persons were accused of conspiring with Siemens to accept valuable things and sponsoring themselves and their relations to trips to foreign countries.


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