Dutch Investigation Confirms Bribery in Congo Mining License Deal

Dutch prosecutors have confirmed that corruption occurred in the acquisition of mining licenses in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) following an investigation that began in 2018.

The probe focused on whether the company Fleurette, previously sanctioned by the United States, and the Swiss commodities giant Glencore paid bribes to obtain mining rights at prices below market value.

Investigators suspected that tens of millions of dollars were paid to a senior adviser to former Congolese president Joseph Kabila, who ruled the country from 2001 to 2019 and was reportedly close to businessman Dan Gertler.

In a statement, the Dutch public prosecutor’s office said that by accepting a penal settlement order it concluded that Fleurette and other individuals had bribed foreign public officials in the DRC as part of the process of securing mining licenses.

Dutch authorities had earlier dropped their case against Glencore after the company agreed to pay a fine to resolve a separate corruption investigation in Switzerland.

The case has once again raised concerns about transparency, governance and accountability in Congo’s lucrative mining sector, one of the richest in natural resources globally.

Source: Newstimehub