Arms deal: Who got R1bn in pay-offs?

[w1z4rd]

Explosive new allegations of dirty money and influence-buying at the heart of South Africa's multibillion-rand arms deal have emerged from a British investigation of BAE Systems, the defence conglomerate that secured a R30-billion South African order for Hawk jet trainers and Gripen fighters.

The allegations are contained in a formal application by the United Kingdom's Serious Fraud Office (SFO) for legal assistance from South African authorities.

The SFO document, which has been seen by the Mail & Guardian, requests cooperation in pursuing the investigation of more than R1-billion in "commissions" paid by BAE on the South African deal.

The money went to no fewer than eight entities in terms of "consultancy agreements" dating, in one case, as far back as 1992.

The request for mutual legal assistance is dated June 26 last year, but the South African response seems to have been marked by bureaucratic delays and buck passing, despite the fact that the suspected bribes dwarf the amounts featured in the Jacob Zuma case.

Read lots more:

http://www.mg.co.za/articlePage.aspx?articleid=295457&area=/insight/insight__national/

 

[RompelStompel]

Seems that BAE Systems is in the news a lot these days !

And for the wrongs reasons