IN a startling turn of events, the chief of staff to Madagascan President Andry Rajoelina, Romy Andrianarisoa, has been apprehended in London, alongside a French associate, on suspicions of soliciting a bribe from the renowned precious stone miner, Gemfields. Britain’s National Crime Agency (NCA) made the announcement on Monday, shedding light on the alleged bribery attempt involving licences for operations within the African island nation.
The arrests took place during a meeting in London, where Andrianarisoa and his French associate, Philippe Tabuteau, were believed to be seeking a bribe in exchange for securing licences to operate in Madagascar. The NCA indicated that the pair had attempted to solicit an upfront payment of approximately £225,000 and a 5 percent equity stake from Gemfields.
Representatives from President Rajoelina’s office and the suspects were not immediately available for comment following the arrests.
Andy Kelly, the head of the NCA’s international corruption unit, expressed gratitude towards Gemfields for their collaboration in uncovering the alleged bribery attempt. In a statement, he emphasised, ‘I am grateful to Gemfields for bringing this matter to our attention and for their ongoing cooperation with the investigation. Their quick reactions to engage the NCA have been critical to our ability to pursue this case.’
Gemfields, a UK-based miner renowned for its ownership of the Faberge jewellery brand and its operations in precious stone mines across southern Africa, has been contemplating ventures in countries like Ethiopia and Madagascar.
Andrianarisoa, 46, and the French national, Philippe Tabuteau, 54, were presented in court on Saturday and have been detained in custody until their next hearing, scheduled for September 8 in London.
Amidst the unfolding legal proceedings, Gemfields declined to offer a comment on the ongoing situation. This incident has cast a shadow over the high-stakes world of precious stone mining and highlighted the critical role played by vigilant organisations like the NCA in uncovering alleged corruption attempts within the industry.