[img]http://www.thenationonlineng.net/2011/thumbnail.php?file=SANFRAN_788740504.jpg&size=article_medium[/img]

French aeronautics and defence group SAFRAN was fined 500,000 euros ($630,000) on Wednesday by a Paris court for bribing public officials in Nigeria to win a contract in 2000/03.

Reuters reports that investigating magistrates found that the bribes had helped SAFRAN win a 170 million euro contract to make more than 70 million identity cards.

SAFRAN, 30 percent state-owned, said it would appeal, adding: "SAFRAN would like to point out that it is deeply attached to the strict respect of anti-corruption rules."

Foreign corruption rulings against big French companies are rare in France. A report from the Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Development that was leaked in July said French authorities lacked the resources to fight possible corruption in big export contracts.

Prosecutors had originally sought to have the SAFRAN case dismissed, but did not lodge any formal request at the trial in June. The court let off two of the company's executives, for whom prosecutors had sought a suspended sentence of up to 18 months and fines of 15,000 euros each.

Like all members of the OECD, France is part of its convention.

Source

Hmm, na wa o.
I swear that I can produce 70 million identity cards which are far superior in quality to the ones issued to us with a budget of €70m. That fine imposed on them is not tough enough. This is more like scratching a bank robber at the back. Westerners are not helping the common masses in Nigeria to fight corruption. It's a pity.

The BRIBER has been fined. What will happen to the BRIBEE(S)?

Corruption! Seemingly, is becoming ubiquitous.

May be they (SAFRAN) thought bribing is a formal way of lobbying in Naija! SMH.

Anyone who thinks that the bribees on the nigerian side will actually be punished is a retard and the problem with nigeria

They obviously acted on the saying "when you're in rome you behave like a roman". It's a pity it back fired.

this is not a new thing

adora4u1: The BRIBER has been fined. What will happen to the BRIBEE(S)?

In this Naija?....lets c how it unfolds....but they do need to be brought to record....from the testament, the BRIBEE(S) shall surely be mentioned I hope!

ACM10: Hmm, na wa o.
I swear that I can produce 70 million identity cards which are far superior in quality to the ones issued to us with a budget of €70m. That fine imposed on them is not tough enough. This is more like scratching a bank robber at the back. Westerners are not helping the common masses in Nigeria to fight corruption. It's a pity.

It is not tough enough at all....thousands to its millions in ratio!

Orblonde: Anyone who thinks that the bribees on the nigerian side will actually be punished is a retard and the problem with nigeria

U do not need calling any retard....we are all hoping for change here....remember that many have been punished, and this MIGHT not be an exception!

[size=14pt]So what has Nigeria done to those that lobbied, collected and share the bribe in Nigeria?[/size]

At the very least, these people, from the National Identity Management Commission need to be brought to NASS for query:


(1) Director General/Chief Executive Officer - Chris E Onyemenam

(2) Director, Corporate Communications - Anthony O. Okwudiafor

(3) Director, Human Capital Management - Aderonke Agunbiade

(4) Head, Legal Services - Carol N. Ojukwu

(5) Ag Director, Operations - Cecilia Yahaya

What about those who took the bribe or am i missing something?

na today?

They were fined in France, if it was this useless country they would have bn given chieftancy titles.

Ibori case comes ϯo mind.

Useless people, Useless Nation = Nigeria

ACM10: Hmm, na wa o.
I swear that I can produce 70 million identity cards which are far superior in quality to the ones issued to us with a budget of €70m. That fine imposed on them is not tough enough. This is more like scratching a bank robber at the back. Westerners are not helping the common masses in Nigeria to fight corruption. It's a pity.

Its €170m contract and not 70m euro.

you see .

those involved in Nigeria were discharged and aquited by Nigerian court saying that the prosecutors lack evidence. Now the company had been tried and fine for the same corruption in the french court, hmmmnnnn!!! Samee thing happened to the case of James Ibori. When are we going to start doing things right in Naija?

ACM10: Hmm, na wa o.
I swear that I can produce 70 million identity cards which are far superior in quality to the ones issued to us with a budget of €70m. That fine imposed on them is not tough enough. This is more like scratching a bank robber at the back. Westerners are not helping the common masses in Nigeria to fight corruption. It's a pity.

so you would do your own 1M per card?

No be today, It's business as usual. Siemens paid $248m, Halliburton and kbr paid a combined $579m, technip paid $338m and Eni saipem paid $365m, all fines to their home country because of bribery scandals involving their executives and Nigeria government officials. I wonder which of the multinational coy is next.
That's why some multinational coy would never step into Nigeria, its an high risk country. No wonder Nigeria has often been ranked as one of the world most corrupt countries.

The Nigerian government officials involved usually deny the allegations.

Too bad..

What a big shame!

and so? wat next?? Dats stil all part of running capital;wat ratio... Lets just hope someone takes a drastic step-in to stop coruption in dis country or else......who has lost- d french or nigerians? Who is losing?

Where are those people that were prasing Nigerian Lawyers? We should learn from the french prosecutors... The days of Abacha et al are gone. If we are to enfeeble corruption, we need more private individual/organisations to pressurize rather than waiting for the EFCC's and co.

adora4u1: The BRIBER has been fined. What will happen to the BRIBEE(S)?

y do pple think as if Nigeria wage zero war against corruption?
remember the chief "bribee" in person of late chief s.m Afolabi was investigated and probed....he decided to end his own life when he realised he cudnt just come outta it.....so do u probe or fine d dead?

@OP you need to rephrase the topic. $630,000 = One FAROUK.
SAFRAN fined "ONE FAROUK" for bribing nigerian officials for contract.

adora4u1: The BRIBER has been fined. What will happen to the BRIBEE(S)?

Come....on! Do I need to remind you of how lame your question is?

^Like how many countries are more comfortable convicting their citizens abroad?

ndu_chucks: At the very least, these people, from the National Identity Management Commission need to be brought to NASS for query:


(1) Director General/Chief Executive Officer - Chris E Onyemenam

(2) Director, Corporate Communications - Anthony O. Okwudiafor

(3) Director, Human Capital Management - Aderonke Agunbiade

(4) Head, Legal Services - Carol N. Ojukwu

(5) Ag Director, Operations - Cecilia Yahaya

No. The bribe was given during the defunct national civic registration department era in the early 2000. Two ministers Shata and Afolabi were charged to court for the bribe. Afolabi died during the trial while the court later discharged Shata for lack of diligent prosecution.

Another Farouking

D sage:

Its €170m contract and not 70m euro.

Yes, if I'm to be given €70m budget, I will produce a national identity card that trumps the one they issued to us in terms of quality. I don't need an inflated budget of €170m to do the job