Africa
Namibia: Goabab cleared of corruption charges
allAfrica.com/The Namibian, Namibia
Former Namibian National Assembly Secretary Nama Goabab and National Assembly accountant Abraham George have been cleared of corruption charges in the High Court in Windhoek. The politicians had been accused of renting vehicles for Goabab’s use at government’s expense between March 1 and April 24, 2007. Judge Marlene Tommasi’s ruling hinged on her reading of the Anti-Corruption Act's definition of a corrupt act, and whether this definition would cover the acts Goabab and George were charged with. In this case, she concluded that they did not.
Asia
National police chief must be responsible for false corruption claims, analyst
Jakarta Globe, Indonesia
Calls are mounting for Indonesian National Police Chief Gen. Bambang Hendarso Danuri to take responsibility and apologise for repeated allegations by the police that they were in possession of key evidence of graft within the Corruption Eradication Commission. Since the claims were made, no evidence has been provided.
More judges probed for corruption
The China Post, Taiwan
Prosecutors and investigators raided 20 locations in major cities in northern Taiwan on Aug. 11, detaining five suspects and summoning 19 for testimony in the latest bid to root out corruption in the Taiwan judiciary. Prosecutors from the Taipei Prosecutors Office and the Special Investigation Division led agents from the justice ministry’s Investigation Bureau to gather evidence for allegations of bribery in the judiciary.
Europe
Wedding gift triggers bribery claims against Swedish princess
The Irish Times, Ireland
A Swedish billionaire’s controversial wedding present to Crown Princess Victoria – the use of his private jet, yacht and luxury U.S. ranch for her recent honeymoon in the South Pacific and North America – is pitting royalists against republicans in Sweden, amid allegations of corruption linked to the gift. Three separate complaints have been filed with the country’s anti- corruption unit against the heir to the Swedish crown. She is accused of accepting bribes, having attended events hosted by her benefactor’s companies and charities and being linked to his charitable foundations in an official capacity. Now prosecutors are to investigate whether the wedding gift contravenes Sweden’s bribery laws.
Forty-seven officers quizzed as part of inquiry into corrupt cop
The Bolton News, UK
A criminal case put together by a corrupt police officer had to be dropped when lawyers learned about the officer’s double dealings. Philip Berry, aged 43, sold a book containing comprehensive details of drug dealers and police informants to convicted drug dealer Gary Knox in return for a BMW worth 20,000 pounds ($31,000) and tickets to watch the English football team, Bolton Wanderers. Following Berry’s arrest in July 2008, a far-reaching inquiry was launched by Greater Manchester Police’s Internal Investigations Unit in which 47 other officers were questioned about their conduct — but none, apart from Berry, were found to be corrupt.
British drug firms put under microscope over "bribery"
The Independent, UK
The world's largest pharmaceutical companies are facing a corruption investigation in the United States over claims that the hospitality lavished on those who prescribe the firms’ treatments could constitute bribery. Britain's two biggest drug groups, GlaxoSmithKline and AstraZeneca, are among those facing the investigation, which is being carried out jointly by the Department of Justice and Securities and Exchange Commission. The investigation is thought to centre around allegations that drugs companies might have contravened the Foreign Corrupt Practices Act, which limits their ability to spend on such "soft inducements" as hospitality, charitable donations and other non-business activities.
Latin America
Weeding out corruption among Mexican police critical to ending violence
El Paso Times, United States
Gil Kerlikowske, head of the U.S. Office of National Drug Control Policy spoke at the seventh Annual Border Security Conference at the University of Texas at El Paso and warned that the cross-border drug trade that continues to fuel violence in Juárez, Mexico could only be extinguished by weeding out corruption among Mexican police.
North America
Dupuis denies corruption allegations linked to departure
The Montreal Gazette, Canada
After 12 years in Quebec’s National Assembly, including seven in its cabinet, Jacques Dupuis resigned from office refusing to elaborate on his reasons for doing so. He did however, vehemently deny that his departure had anything to do with opposition demands for a full public inquiry into allegations of corruption in the construction industry, or with a gun permit obtained by Luigi Coretti, former head of the BCIA private security firm, after a private meeting with Dupuis.
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