Koko kickbacks to be returned
Bangladesh will get the bribe money of former prime minister Khaleda Zia's younger son Arafat Rahman Koko, stashed in bank accounts in Singapore, only if the verdict in the case filed by the US justice department goes in its favour.
"It is the policy of the United States to, where possible, return corruption proceeds to the victim country. This position is also consistent with the US' obligations under the UN Convention against Corruption," said a spokesman of the US embassy in Dhaka.
The spokesman also said, "Where foreign law enforcement provides substantial assistance in forfeiture cases, the US and the Department of Justice (DOJ) policy again is to share the proceeds with the assisting country."
Elaborating the process, he said as a matter of procedure, the money will first be returned to the Asset Forfeiture Fund of the US, and then it will be sent to Bangladesh pursuant to the terms of a memorandum of understanding (MoU), to be drafted for that purpose.
Replying to questions following the US justice department's move to confiscate nearly $3 million from bank accounts in Singapore, which are allegedly linked to a bribery scandal involving Koko, the US embassy spokesman said the US government is working closely with the Bangladesh government on the case.
DOJ filed a forfeiture action against the funds, held by multiple account holders, on January 8 in a US district court of the District of Columbia.
The accounts allegedly have the proceeds of a wide-ranging conspiracy to bribe public officials and their family members in Bangladesh, in connection with various public works projects.
The complaint relates primarily to alleged bribes paid to Koko, in connection with public works projects awarded by the Bangladesh government to Siemens AG, a German industrial conglomerate, and China Harbour Engineering Company.
When asked about the total amount of stolen money so far detected by FBI or DOJ in connection with the case filed, the spokesman said DOJ states that approximately $3 million were traced by the US.
The US looks forward to working with the Bangladesh government to recover any additional amount that went through US financial institutions and are subject to the US jurisdiction, he said.
In reply to another question, he said DOJ and the US Securities and Exchange Commission on December 15, 2008 announced that Siemens Aktiengesellschaft (Siemens AG), and three of its subsidiaries pleaded guilty to violations of and charges related to the Foreign Corrupt Practices Act (FCPA) of the US, which was extensively reported in newspapers.
Asked whether DOJ will file cases against the companies which bribed Koko and others, he said with regard to actions against other parties, the Department of Justice as a matter of policy does not comment on any investigation or action that might or might not be pending.
Meanwhile, the US team that was in Dhaka recently in connection with investigation of the $3 million forfeiture case, departed yesterday, the spokesman said.
But they might return depending on the need of the investigation, he added.
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