Page 11 - ARUBA TODAY

A11
WORLD NEWS Thursday 14 december 2017

Global companies snared in South Africa’s corruption scandal

By ERIN SMITH fied by a team of South
Associated Press African investigative jour-
JOHANNESBURG (AP) — nalists. One allegation is
South Africa’s biggest cor- that the Guptas raided a
ruption case since the end fund for rural dairies to pay
of apartheid has entangled $2 million for a lavish wed-
not only the president and ding. Another, detailed by
ruling party but also some South Africa’s independent
major international com- ombudsperson in a 2016
panies, including U.S. firm report, is that Ajay Gupta
McKinsey and KPMG. offered the job of finance
The scandal has weakened minister and $45 million to
the ruling African National Mcebisi Jonas, who has tes-
Congress, which meets tified that he refused.
this week to choose a new In a rare response to ques-
party leader who likely will tions, Atul Gupta told The
become the country’s next Associated Press that the
president in 2019. allegations against his fam-
The web of allegations that ily are “nonsense” and part
has threatened to take of a “twisted narrative be-
down President Jacob ing peddled by powerful
Zuma and briefly sent the forces with powerful vested
country into recession this interests.” Despite mount-
year includes illicit dealings African National Congress (ANC) protesters in support of President Jacob Zuma march to parlia- ing evidence, there have
with state-owned compa- ment in Cape Town, South Africa. The country’s biggest corruption case since the end of apartheid been no arrests or charg-
has entangled not only Zuma and the ruling party but also some of the world’s most prominent
nies and other multination- companies as the ANC meets this week to attempt a fresh start by choosing a new party leader es. The head of the state
al firms, including German who will likely become the next president in 2019. prosecuting authority, the
software giant SAP and (AP Photo) police and an elite crime
British public relations com- Indian immigrant business- leveraging their friendship The extent of the Guptas’ intelligence unit called the
pany Bell Pottinger. men, who are under inves- with the president to land interests were revealed in Hawks were appointed
The sprawling scandal cen- tigation by a parliamentary government contracts thousands of emails appar- by Zuma and are unlikely
ters on Zuma’s close associ- committee for influencing worth hundreds of millions ently leaked from a Gupta to take action against the
ates, the Gupta family of Cabinet appointments and of dollars. company server and veri- president.q

Indonesia politician’s graft trial delayed by stomach woes

By NINIEK KARMINI to stand trial but prosecu- accident. After two postponements, governing coalition, has
Associated Press tors said he was in good In court Wednesday, No- during which the defen- denied any wrongdoing.
JAKARTA, Indonesia (AP) — health. Judges postponed vanto initially refused to dant was examined at the An admirer of U.S. President
A top Indonesian politician the hearing until later in the respond to repeated ques- court clinic, the five-judge Donald Trump, Novanto
accused of involvement in day. tions from judges and then panel concluded that he made an unexpected ap-
one of the country’s big- Novanto was allegedly part told the court, “I am suf- was fit to face trial and the pearance at a Trump news
gest corruption scandals of a conspiracy of dozens fering diarrhea, I asked for hearing resumed. conference at Trump Tower
told a court on the first day of officials who used the in- drugs but they were not The panel then allowed in New York in September
of his trial that he was suffer- troduction of an electronic given.” prosecutors to read out 2015 along with another In-
ing a stomach complaint, ID system to steal more Prosecutors said prison the indictment, in which donesian lawmaker, Fadli
forcing a postponement than $170 million of public guards reported he was Novanto was accused of Zon.
while his medical condition money. coughing in his cell. involvement in the scandal Novanto was introduced
was checked. He evaded questioning by “This is a lie by the defen- and enriching himself and by Trump as one of Indo-
Lawyers for Setya Novanto, anti-corruption officials for dant,” state prosecutor others. nesia’s most powerful men
the former speaker of Indo- months but was arrested in Irene Putri told the court Novanto, also a senior fig- who would do great things
nesia’s parliament, argued November at a hospital af- before Novanto was ex- ure in the Golkar party, for the U.S.q
Wednesday he was too ill ter being involved in a car cused for a checkup. which is part of Indonesia’s