Dutch prosecutors have confirmed that corruption occurred in the acquisition of mining licenses in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) following an investigation launched in 2018.
The probe examined whether the company Fleurette, previously sanctioned by the United States, and the Swiss commodities giant Glencore had paid bribes to obtain mining rights at prices significantly below market value.
Investigators believe tens of millions of dollars were paid to a senior adviser to former Congolese president Joseph Kabila, who governed the country from 2001 to 2019 and was reportedly close to Israeli 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 were guilty of bribing foreign public officials in the DRC during the acquisition of mining licenses.
Dutch authorities had earlier dropped their case against Glencore after the company agreed to pay a fine in Switzerland to settle a separate corruption investigation.
The case has renewed concerns about transparency and governance in Congo’s mining sector, one of the world’s most resource-rich but often criticized industries.
Source: Newstimehub
