Former U.S. Vice President Dick Cheney will no longer be pursued on corruption charges by the Nigerian government.
Australian Herald, 18 December 2010
Officials, including former U.S. President George H.W. Bush and former Secretary of State James Baker, acting for Cheney and the company he once headed, Halliburton, met with Nigerian officials in London last week soon after formal charges were filed against the former vice president, and others, in Nigeria's Federal Court in Abuja. It is believed Bush and Baker took part via video-conferencing.
At the meeting the Halliburton negotiating team pledged to pay Nigeria $250 million in return for all charges being dropped.
On Friday Nigeria's anti-corruption body, the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) announced the settlement offer, which it described as a "plea bargain" had been accepted, and all charges had been dropped. The giant military contractor and energy services company will pay the $250 million as fines.
The corruption charges stem from claims by EFCC that Cheney, and other Halliburton officials had offered bribes of millions of dollars to Nigerians to secure tender contracts. Payments of bribes by U.S. companies to foreigners to secure business are illegal under U.S. law. It is not known whether the U.S. Justice Department will investigate the allegations.
Halliburton refused to comment on the latest developments, other than confirming all charges had been dropped. The company has previously denied the claims against it and the company's officials.
