By Coralie PierretPosted on 13-08-2019Modified on 13-08-2019 at 22:29

Billionaire Beny Steinmetz will be tried in Switzerland for corruption and forgery. The prosecutor, who has filed an indictment against the Israeli businessman, accuses him of having paid several million euros of bribe in exchange for granting a mining concession in the south of Guinea.

In 2005, the goal of the billionaire is to obtain the license to operate blocks 1 and 2 of the Simandou mine in Guinea. It is the largest iron ore deposit ever mined in Africa.

For this, according to the Geneva prosecutor, Beny Steinmetz does not hesitate to release millions of dollars. About ten million would have been disbursed for one of the wives of Guinean President of the time, Lansana Conte. Commissions or bribes paid by Beny Steinmetz and his company BSGR, according to the public prosecutor of Geneva.

In addition to the billionaire, the prosecutor also accuses the French Frederic Cilins, director of BSGR Guinea, and Sandra Merloni-Horemans, director of the BSGR group in Geneva, to have issued false invoices and false contracts.

The billionaire Franco-Israel comes to its ends in 2008. A presidential decree withdraws these concessions to Rio Tinto, the giant miner Anglo-Australian, to grant to the company of Beny Steinmetz. At the time, BSGR had officially purchased the mining license for approximately $ 160 million.

" The business of the century "

Except two years later, BSGR sells part of its concession to the Brazilian company Vale. And it's " the business of the century, " it says in the British press in 2010. BSGR realizes a spectacular added value. The company sells 51% of its concession for $ 2.5 billion, the equivalent of the total budget of Guinea, according to the 2019 budget law.

However, this gamble is concomitant with the coming into power of Alpha Condé in 2010. The latter calls for an audit of the mining sector. During his first term from 2010 to 2015, several legal proceedings were launched in Guinea and internationally against the Franco-Israeli and his group. And the Guinean State withdraws BSGR's operating licenses because of suspicions of corruption.

Then embarks on a long international legal battle. First in New York, where lives Mamadie Toure, one of the wives of former President Lansana Conte who allegedly received the famous bribes. The battle continues in Israel, where Beny Steinmetz resides, in front of the international center for the settlement of investment disputes. It continues in Guinea, and now in Geneva. The 10 million case is at the center of many lawsuits. But finally, a recent agreement rather obscure will settle the dispute between BSGR and the Guinean State.

Nicolas Sarkozy mediator

That's when Nicolas Sarkozy is invited as mediator. In a private jet, the former French president went to Conakry on February 21st. He is accompanied by Beny Steimetz whose house arrest was lifted in 2017 by Israeli justice.

According to the letter of the continent, this interview is the result of negotiations " conducted for a year in Conakry, Paris, but especially in London by Tibou Kamara, the Minister of Industry and special adviser Alpha Conde ".

At the end of February, after this visit, BSGR announced that it would give up its rights on blocks 1 and 2 of Simandou. " This issue was resolved amicably, " said Minister of Mines Abdoulaye Magassouba on a March 1 broadcast on FM Radio. Understand instead that the Guinean State is abandoning its lawsuits against BSGR.

In addition, Beny Steimetz's group obtained the rights to operate a Zogota iron mine, in partnership with Niron Metals. The director general of this British group is none other than Sir Michael Davis, also treasurer of the conservative party in London.

Opaque agreement

It is an opaque agreement based solely on the statements of the BSGR group and those of the Guinean Minister of Mines. No official document that contains the essential points of the agreement. What is Beny Steimetz? What are the trading conditions with Niron Metals? Who will take back blocks 1 and 2 of Mount Simandou?

One thing is certain: the abandonment of legal proceedings by the Guinean State did not prevent the Swiss prosecutor from closing his investigation and filing an indictment. Beny Steimetz risks in Geneva up to ten years in prison.

    On the same subject

    Judicial misadventures of Beny Steinmetz, from diamond to iron ore

    Guinea: Franco-Israeli billionaire Beny Steinmetz to be tried in Geneva

    Steinmetz, "the king of diamonds" arrested in Israel for a case in Guinea

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