Maghreb Edition

Tunisia: Another case of corruption in North Africa. UK fines Alstom

Posted On 27 November 2019

Number of times this article was read : 258

London, Nov 25, 2019 – The UK arm of French rail firm Alstom was on Monday fined £15 million ($20 million, 17.5 million euros) for bribery in relation to a tram contract in Tunisia, Britain’s Serious Fraud Office said.  Alstom Network UK Ltd was convicted of conspiracy to corrupt last year for paying an intermediary 2.4 million euros to win an 80-million-euro contract with Transtu, which runs the Tunis Metro, between 2003 and 2006. Instead of being “a legitimate contract for services”, the intermediary — Nevco — was in fact “a conduit for bribes”, the SFO said in a statement.

The prosecution said Nevco was run by the brother-in-law of Tunisia‘s late president Zine El Abidine Ben Ali, who was ousted from power during the so-called “Arab Spring” of 2011. “This sentencing brings to an end a case which involved cooperation from over 30 countries and concerned conduct across Europe and beyond,” said SFO director Lisa Osofsky.  “It shows we will work tirelessly with law enforcement around the world to root out bribery and corruption.” In addition to the £15 million fine, Alstom was ordered to pay £1.4 million in costs. It has 28 days to pay the total amount. Alstom had no immediate comment when contacted by AFP.

The firm and two executives were cleared of corruption charges in the same case at London’s Southwark Crown Court in relation to transport contracts in Poland and India, the SFO said.  Last year, three executives from Alstom Power Ltd were jailed after they admitted paying bribes of over five million euros to win a 240-million-euro
power station contract in Lithuania.   In that and the Tunisia case, “papers were falsified to circumvent checks put in place to prevent bribery by Alstom staff responsible for preventing corruption”, the SFO said.

Three other executives from Alstom Network UK were acquitted of bribery claims in relation to a contract to provide rolling stock for the Budapest metro system.  The British investigation began in 2009 after Switzerland raised concerns about the group and in particular its British subsidiary.

By AFP

The North Africa Journal's WhatsApp Group
.

Most Recent Stories from the Region

Niger Moves Uranium From SOMAÏR Mine Despite Arbitration Ruling

Niger’s military authorities have authorized the removal and transport of uranium from the SOMAÏR mine at Arlit without the involvement of longtime operator Orano, prompting the French nuclear group to denounce the shipment as illegal and in breach of a September 2025 World Bank–linked arbitration ruling. While Niamey signals plans to sell the stock on the open market as an assertion of resource sovereignty, the move raises legal, safety, and security concerns as uranium travels by road through conflict‑affected Sahel corridors.

Benin Soldiers Mount Brief Coup Attempt

In the span of a few hours on December 7, a small group of soldiers in Benin, West Africa, moved from night‑time attacks on senior officers’ homes to a televized announcement claiming they had removed President Patrice Talon and suspended the constitution. Forces loyal to the government swiftly retook the national broadcaster and key positions in Cotonou, and authorities now say the coup attempt has been defeated even as some officers remain missing and questions about the mutineers’ support network persist.

Written by The North Africa Journal

The North Africa Journal is a leading English-language publication focused on North Africa. The Journal covers primarily the Maghreb region and expands its general coverage to the Sahel, Egypt, and beyond, when events in those regions affect the broader North Africa geography. The Journal does not have any affiliation with any institution and has been independent since its founding in 1996. Our position is to always bring our best analysis of events affecting the region, and remain as neutral as humanly possible. Our coverage is not limited to one single topic, but ranges from economic and political affairs, to security, defense, social and environmental issues. We rely on our full staff analysts and editors to bring you best-in-class analysis. We also work with sister company MEA Risk LLC, to leverage the presence on the ground of a solid network of contributors and experts. Information on MEA Risk can be found at www.MEA-Risk.com.