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The Nigeria’s anti-graft agency, the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) has called on the federal government to use the agreement between Nigeria and Germany to obtain a copy of judgment in the case of Siemen’s bribery allegation from the German authorities.
EFCC had written a letter to the Attorney-General of the Federation to use the agreement between Nigeria and Germany and obtain a copy from the German authorities of the judgment by a Munich court which found two former Siemens managers guilty of bribery to win telecom contracts in Russia and Nigeria.
EFCC Chairman Farida Waziri said in Abuja that the Certified True Copy (CTC) of the judgment will help the agency to know, “for sure who and who got what. We have a list and we have obtained recorded statements from those that their names appeared. We would know who played what role in what.”
Nigeria and Germany have a Mutual Legal Assistance Treaty (MLAT) and the Attorney General of the Federation (AGF) and Minister of Justice Mohammed Adoke is empowered to request for a copy of the judgement based on the agreement.
Mrs. Waziri said the case initially handled by the Independent Corrupt Practices and other related offence Commission (ICPC) was ongoing and operatives had already interrogated four ex-ministers of communication. The ex-Communications ministers so far interrogated include Dr. Halliru Mohamed as well as Chief Cornelius Adebayo, Major General Tajudeen Olanrewaju and the late Alhaji Haruna Elewi.
“The amount is not 10 million Euros but 17.5million. The case has been ongoing, it was not reopened but with the conviction in Munich we had to take certain steps,” the EFCC boss said.
In a judgment delivered by Joachim Eckert on April 20 in Munich, Michael Kutschenreuter, former financial head of Siemens telecoms unit and the most senior executive was placed on probation for two years and fined 160,000 Euros. A second defendant, the former head of accounting at Siemens’ telecoms unit, was placed on probation for a year and a half and was fined 40,000 Euros.
Kutschenreuterhad admitted that he covered up slush funds and bribing practices of his employees. According to the prosecution, the funds were used to bribe government officials and business contacts to win telecom contracts in Russia and Nigeria.
Siemens has identified around 1.3 billion Euros in dubious payments that changed hands between 2000 and 2006. The affair has cost the company around 2.5 billion Euros in fines, investigations and back taxes.
EFCC has also concluded investigation of N2.3billion Peugeot car purchase scam that rocked the House of Representatives in 2008.
Human Rights Lawyer Festus Keyamo had petitioned EFCC alleging fraud in the execution of the contract.
Keyamo had alleged that although the clerk of the National Assembly awarded the contract for the supply of the 380 units of 407 ST (Sports) Auto to PAN at N2.3bn, what was eventually supplied was the 407 Comfort Automatic at a total of N1.5bn.
The EFCC chairman said, “We did our investigation and we have since concluded that investigation and the case file has been forwarded to our legal department for further action.”
The Nigeria’s anti-graft agency, the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) has called on the federal government to use the agreement between Nigeria and Germany to obtain a copy of judgment in the case of Siemen’s bribery allegation from the German authorities.
EFCC had written a letter to the Attorney-General of the Federation to use the agreement between Nigeria and Germany and obtain a copy from the German authorities of the judgment by a Munich court which found two former Siemens managers guilty of bribery to win telecom contracts in Russia and Nigeria.
EFCC Chairman Farida Waziri said in Abuja that the Certified True Copy (CTC) of the judgment will help the agency to know, “for sure who and who got what. We have a list and we have obtained recorded statements from those that their names appeared. We would know who played what role in what.”
Nigeria and Germany have a Mutual Legal Assistance Treaty (MLAT) and the Attorney General of the Federation (AGF) and Minister of Justice Mohammed Adoke is empowered to request for a copy of the judgement based on the agreement.
Mrs. Waziri said the case initially handled by the Independent Corrupt Practices and other related offence Commission (ICPC) was ongoing and operatives had already interrogated four ex-ministers of communication. The ex-Communications ministers so far interrogated include Dr. Halliru Mohamed as well as Chief Cornelius Adebayo, Major General Tajudeen Olanrewaju and the late Alhaji Haruna Elewi.
“The amount is not 10 million Euros but 17.5million. The case has been ongoing, it was not reopened but with the conviction in Munich we had to take certain steps,” the EFCC boss said.
In a judgment delivered by Joachim Eckert on April 20 in Munich, Michael Kutschenreuter, former financial head of Siemens telecoms unit and the most senior executive was placed on probation for two years and fined 160,000 Euros. A second defendant, the former head of accounting at Siemens’ telecoms unit, was placed on probation for a year and a half and was fined 40,000 Euros.
Kutschenreuterhad admitted that he covered up slush funds and bribing practices of his employees. According to the prosecution, the funds were used to bribe government officials and business contacts to win telecom contracts in Russia and Nigeria.
Siemens has identified around 1.3 billion Euros in dubious payments that changed hands between 2000 and 2006. The affair has cost the company around 2.5 billion Euros in fines, investigations and back taxes.
EFCC has also concluded investigation of N2.3billion Peugeot car purchase scam that rocked the House of Representatives in 2008.
Human Rights Lawyer Festus Keyamo had petitioned EFCC alleging fraud in the execution of the contract.
Keyamo had alleged that although the clerk of the National Assembly awarded the contract for the supply of the 380 units of 407 ST (Sports) Auto to PAN at N2.3bn, what was eventually supplied was the 407 Comfort Automatic at a total of N1.5bn.
The EFCC chairman said, “We did our investigation and we have since concluded that investigation and the case file has been forwarded to our legal department for further action.”
