Minister Mesquita challenges US to conduct audit to assess corruption in LAM

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Minister Mesquita challenges US to conduct audit to assess corruption in LAM

1:41 CAT | 10 Oct 2016

O País / Mozambique's Minister of Transports and Communications Carlos Mesquita

The Minister of Transport and Communications says that the Government has not received official information and was not notified of suspicions that Mozambique Airlines (LAM) was bribed to purchase aircraft from Brazilian manufacturer Embraer.

Confronted by O País with a Brazilian newspaper Folha de São Paulo report citing an investigation by the US Department of Justice, according to which there is a suspicion that LAM has been bribed to buy two Embraer 190 jets in 2008, Mesquita said that this did not constitute valid information.

“We still have no evidence at all. I myself heard about this only through social networks,” the minister said, challenging the US Department of Justice: “the relevant party will have to make an assessment, investigation or audit and then bring correct information to be properly treated.”

Mesquita said that, even without such notification, the Government had the necessary means to determine whether or not there was corruption.

“The accounts are properly presented. These are undeniable facts, and include the transaction processes, so the Government can ascertain these without doubt and see exactly what the truth is,” he said.

Last September, the Central Office for Combating Corruption (GCCC) launched an investigation into the destination of the proceeds from the sale of two LAM aircraft, which did not appear to be reflected in the company accounts.

According to the GCCC, the case concerns the purchase, sale and rental of two type Q 400 aircraft, a process involving LAM and a foreign company, a cursory analysis of which led to suspicions of corruption in valuations relating to the operation.

Source: O País