A French-Israeli businessman and diamond magnate insisted Wednesday he had by no means bribed anybody, as he sought to overturn his conviction in an unlimited corruption case involving mining rights in West Africa.
Beny Steinmetz, 66, informed the Geneva appeals courtroom he was harmless and “had performed nothing improper”.
“I by no means corrupted anybody.”
Steinmetz was discovered responsible in January 2021 of establishing a posh monetary internet to pay bribes to make sure his firm might acquire permits in Guinea’s southeastern Simandou area, which is estimated to comprise the world’s largest untapped iron ore deposits.
He was sentenced by a Geneva courtroom in 2021 to 5 years in jail and ordered to pay 50 million Swiss francs ($52 million) in compensation.
Carrying a gray go well with and white shirt along with his collar unbuttoned, Steinmetz informed courtroom president Catherine Gavin he was happy with the huge mining venture Beny Steinmetz Group Assets, BSGR, had arrange in Guinea, claiming it might have been vastly helpful for the nation.
“I’m absolutely satisfied that BSGR by no means crossed the purple line,” and the corporate had change into sufferer to a neighborhood energy battle and corruption, he mentioned.
Steinmetz, who maintained his innocence all through the unique trial, modified his legal professionals and beefed up his communications workforce for the attraction.
– ‘Pact of corruption’ –
In the course of the first trial, prosecutors satisfied the courtroom Steinmetz and two associates had bribed a spouse of then Guinean president Lansana Conte and others with a purpose to win profitable mining rights in Simandou.
The prosecutors mentioned Steinmetz obtained the rights shortly earlier than Conte died in 2008 after about $10 million was paid in bribes over a variety of years.
Conte’s navy dictatorship ordered world mining big Rio Tinto to relinquish two concessions that have been subsequently obtained by BSGR in opposition to an funding of $160 million.
Simply 18 months later, BSGR bought 51 % of its stake within the concession to Brazilian mining big Vale for $2.5 billion.
However in 2013, Guinea’s first democratically-elected president Alpha Conde launched a evaluation of permits allotted underneath Conte and stripped the VBG consortium fashioned by BSGR and Vale of its allow.
To safe the preliminary deal, prosecutors claimed Steinmetz and representatives in Guinea entered a “pact of corruption” with Conte and his fourth spouse Mamadie Toure.
– ‘Native tragedy’ –
Toure, who has admitted to having acquired funds, has protected standing in the US as a state witness.
A request from Steinmetz’s lawyer Daniel Kinzer for her written testimony to be deemed inadmissible because of missing perception into the “opaque” US deal, was rejected by the courtroom.
The defence in the meantime maintains there was nothing inappropriate about how BSGR obtained the permits, and that Rio Tinto misplaced half the concessions for failing to develop them.
Steinmetz rejected solutions his firm was in search of to money in and make “a fast exit”, saying the BSGR and Vale consortium had deliberate to remain for the long run.
“This was not a 20-year deal, however a 50-year deal,” he informed the courtroom, calling it “Africa’s largest mining venture” that may have included constructing a railway system.
It will have tripled Guinea’s gross home product, he mentioned.
The abandonment of the venture was “a neighborhood tragedy, created by native corruption,” in keeping with Steinmetz, indicating Conde’s resolution to strip VBG of the rights was linked to guarantees made to safe his election.
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