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Trafigura director deflects blame at Swiss corruption trial

A Trafigura board member on Wednesday said district attorneys must concentrate on one of the company's former executives, who has actually currently been founded guilty on bribery charges somewhere else, when inquired about corrupt payments at a trial in Switzerland.

The Swiss case is the first time the nation's leading lawbreaker court will rule on a company's liability for damaging a. foreign authorities. Swiss prosecutors declare that Trafigura and. 3 other defendants paid bribes to an Angolan authorities worth. over $5 million to win oil deals between 2009-2011.

Trafigura has said the anti-bribery and anti-corruption. controls and the compliance program in place at its moms and dad. company at the time satisfied both legal requirements and great. practice standards.

Taking the stand for the very first time on behalf of the company. because the trial opened this week, Trafigura director Mark Irwin. stated that a previous executive, Mariano Marcondes Ferraz, who is a. key witness in the event, was the only explanation for payments. to the Angolan official.

Irwin, who is not an accused in the case, was a Trafigura. supervisory board member at the time.

Ferraz was sentenced to ten years in jail in 2018 for oil. corruption charges in Brazil. Reuters has not been able to. establish his location, and he did not immediately respond to. efforts to reach him. Legal representatives who represented him in the past. also did not respond.

Asked by Judge David Bouverat to account for the payments to. the Angolan authorities, Irwin stated: The only description is that. Mariano Ferraz ... was the typical consider this pattern of. events.

He referred to Ferraz's senior function in Trafigura's Angola. joint endeavor DT Group, which Swiss prosecutors say was involved. in moving payments that went to the Angolan official through. intermediaries.

Earlier today, the company failed to have Ferraz's. proof in the Swiss case struck off on the grounds that he had. reached an unlawful handle Swiss prosecutors. The district attorneys. state Ferraz's testimony was obtained in line with Swiss law.

A previous Trafigura executive and accounting professional Mike Wainwright,. 51, who is an offender in the event likewise took the stand on. Wednesday. His presence is an uncommon instance of a previous top. executive of a trading firm being tried in a corruption case.

Sitting with his arms folded, the Briton informed the court via. an interpreter that he did not remember or author a document. that was used to open a crucial intermediary company used for the. supposed payments.

He also said he was not responsible for opening bank. accounts on behalf of Trafigura as Swiss district attorneys had. formerly suggested. Asked why he was involved in some of the. monetary deals mentioned in the event file, he said: The. best description is: it's who I am. I like to comprehend what. takes place in business.

His legal representatives have actually said he turns down all the allegations versus. him and is positive the case will be dismissed.

(source: Reuters)