Nigerian Government Prepares To Indict Dick Cheney, So He Can Join Other Halliburton Officials, In Bribery And Corruption Trials.

Govt charges ex-U.S. VP, Cheney, over Halliburton scam
From Lemmy Ughegbe, Abuja News

THE on-going trial of Halliburton officials and their counterparts in Nigeria who allegedly conspired in the $180 million bribe for contract scandal may have reached feverish heights.

Reason: The Federal Government has preferred charges against former Vice President of the United States (U.S.), Mr. Dick Cheney, over his alleged complicity in the scandal.

Government has also resolved to charge Siemens and AGIP to court for their recalcitrance in spite of their alleged complicity in the scandal.

An impeccable government source told The Guardian that upon the resolution by government’s lawyers and the Attorney General of Federation (AGF), Mohammed Bello Adoke (SAN) that Cheney could not be absolved of complicity in the bribery scandal since he was at that time of the bribery in 2006 the Chairman of Halliburton.
The country’s Chief Law Officer yesterday directed the lawyers to amend the charge sheets in the on-going trial of Nigerian and Halliburton officials to accommodate the charge of criminal conspiracy against him (Cheney).

The source said: “The AGF had on Monday, November 29, 2010 briefed government’s negotiation team made up of a narrow team of technocrats within government and a few carefully screened and selected from the private sector to proceed against Cheney legally”.

Members of Government’s negotiation team include Damien Dodo (SAN), from the private sector, Mr. Emmanuel Akomaye and Godwin Obla, Secretary and Counsel of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) respectively as well as the Executive Secretary of the National Human Rights Commission (NHRC), Mr. Rowland Ewubare.

Meanwhile, the Managing Director of Halliburton yesterday turned himself in to investigators at the commission and after making some statement, was granted administrative bail pending his arraignment. His counterparts in Technip and Saipem, Frank Ilya and Guiseppe Jurace were picked up last Thursday, but granted similar bail the following day.

Yet another inside source also disclosed that government was determined to ensure that all firms or conglomerate involved in corrupting and compromising a healthy business environment in the country are made to pay by atonement or the full weight of the law would be brought to bear on them.

He noted that after honest consideration of the situation, government decided to explore the viability of the U.S. model for dealing with companies found to have engaged in such criminal practices as occurred in Nigeria.

He explained that under the U.S model, erring companies or individuals are to pay criminal penalty or fine in multiple of the amount of the transaction, disgorge all profits made from that deal and institute a three-year scheme of corporate compliance.

Under such arrangement, the firms and or individual enjoys in return a deferred prosecution agreement, which allows them to be let off the hook if after three years, they are found to have complied with the conditions and have shown good conduct.

The Guardian learnt that it was under that arrangement that Julius Berger approached government for a peaceful resolution of the case against it. Julius Berger was not a direct beneficiary of any contract in the scandal, but served as a conduit to move five million dollars which was passed unto a Nigerian government official.

But the firm upon showing good faith and paying to government 25 million dollars and entering a three year-scheme of corporate compliance, got government to enter a deferred prosecution agreement.

“I must state that the payment of the 25 million dollars does not mean a total let off for Julius Berger. It is in fact probational as it only affords them three years within which they can be fully discharged if they demonstrate good will and conduct”, he explained.

He said while government was open to exploring the U.S. model to the country’s interest, it would not settle for any fine less than the ones paid to the U.S. government since the crimes were perpetrated in Nigeria.
Already, the U.S government has received about 1.28 billion dollars in form of criminal fines and disgorgement of profits thereof from various firms involved, the source disclosed.

He said Siemens has paid 30 million euros, Halliburton has paid 579 million U.S dollars, Snamprogetti and Technip have paid 240 million dollars each as fine and disgorgement to the U.S Government even though the crimes were committed in Nigeria and against Nigeria.

He said while some firms were seeking amicable settlement and offering to comply with the U. S model in negotiation with the Nigerian team of negotiators, others are seemingly aloof.

Government has instructed its legal team to proceed aggressively against Saipem and AGIP with a view to getting convictions against them, it was learnt. The conviction would in turn be used to freeze and confiscate their assets.

Government will not settle for anything less than what these firms have paid to the U.S Government. In fact, it is government’s view that it is better to liquidate criminal corporation than settle for anything less than the criminal fines and disgorgement paid to the U.S”, he stated.

Editor's comment: Believe me when I tell you that Nigerian officials are experts in knowing what bribery and corruption look like.

;-)