The Federal Government has dropped charges against former United States (U.S.) Vice President, Richard Bruce ‘Dick’ Cheney, and other officials of Halliburton in the multi-million dollar bribe-for-contract scandal.
The development is sequel to an agreement reached between Nigerian officials in the negotiating team and top officials of the United States and Halliburton in a meeting held in London last weekend.
At the meeting, Halliburton agreed to pay about N20 billion as criminal penalty, while promising to liaise with the United States to recover the outstanding $132 million which is currently frozen in Switzerland.
It was gathered that former U.S. President, George Bush (snr) and former Secretary of State, James Baker, were part of the deliberations through conference calls.
The Attorney General of the Federation and Justice Minister, Mr. Mohammed Bello Adoke (SAN) led Nigeria’s team at the negotiations which included the Secretary of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), Mr. Emmanuel Akomaye, legal luminaries, Damian Dodo (SAN) and Godwin Obla and the Executive Secretary of the National Human Rights Commission, Roland Ewubare.
Halliburton’s Chief Executive and Chairman, David Lesar, who replaced Cheney, Halliburton President, Eastern Hemisphere, Ahmed Lofty, Deputy General Counsel, James Ferguson, were also at the meeting.
Halliburton, it was learnt, sought for small fines but the Nigerian officials vehemently opposed the move, reasoning that the U.S. could not have benefitted from the fines more than Nigeria, where the crime was committed originally.
“We will not settle for less than what was paid to the U.S Government,” Adoke was quoted to have said.
http://www.compassnewspaper.com/NG/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=71456:fg-drops-charges-against-cheney-halliburton-&catid=43:news&Itemid=799
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