This month Alphonse Siyam Siwe (UID 142249) the former minister of Energy and Water Affairs in the Cameroon (2004-2006) was jailed for 30 years for corruption. It is reported that Siwe was part of a group who embezzled more than $90m during his tenure as Director General of the Port of Douala, his post prior to his appointment to a ministerial position. Three others were also sentenced Ret. Col Eduard Etonde Ekoto (UID 512104), Simon Pierre Ewodo Noah (UID 767234) and Marie Nitcheu Siewe (UID 767233). The judge also ruled that the property of the four would be seized and their bank accounts frozen.

This month Russian authorities arrested Sergei Storchak (UID 679022) a deputy finance minister. It is alleged that he tried to embezzle more than $40 million in budget funds. Viktor Zakharov (UID 757021) of Sodexin and Vadim Volkov (UID 757022) who is the chairman of Moscow Interregional Investment Bank (MIB) were also detained. The three men are suspected of “having created an organized group to embezzle budget funds under the pretext of covering expenses for Sodexim"

Ao Man-long (UID 4576) is currently on trial in Macau on bribery, money laundering and abuse of power charges. Ao a former transport minister is alleged to have taken tens of millions of euros in kickbacks. Ao has denied that he set up shell companies and bank accounts abroad in which he reportedly hid the ill gotten gains. Authorities say that they have uncovered assets worth more than 50 times Ao’s income over the period of his tenure. Keep abreast of developments in this case by using our unique profile specific search engine News-Check.

Former Duma deputy, Executive Secretary of the Security Council of Russia and now self imposed exile Boris Berezovsky (UID 8641) is currently being tried in absentia in Moscow, on embezzlement and money laundering charges. These charges are specifically related to more than US$8 million he allegedly embezzled from Russia’s national airline Aeroflot. In July this year Brazilian authorities reportedly issued a warrant for Berezosky’s arrest on suspicion of his involvement in money laundering and creating a criminal group.

Irakli Okruashvili (UID 212509) the former Georgia Minister of Defence, has been released on bail. Okruashvili has been accused by authorities of extortion and money laundering. In 2005 it is alleged that Okruashvili’s close friend Kiber Khalvashi (UID 716122) set up under his orders, a construction company the 'International Building Company', it is then alleged that the Ministry of Defence hired them on an exclusive basis, to do work on all its construction projects. In a separate charge Okruashvili is also said to have extorted shares worth over US$10 million in a mobile telephone company. In addition, he is also accused of money laundering. Parallel to this investigation authorities are apparently looking into the wrong doings within the Ministry of Defence itself.

This month Nuon Chea (UID 34609) was arrested and brought from his home close to the border with Thailand to be questioned in Phnom Penh by Cambodia’s International genocide tribunal the Extraordinary Chambers in the Courts of Cambodia (ECCC). It is reported that Nuon Chea was subsequently charged with crimes against humanity and war crimes and placed in detention. The Khmer Rouge (UID 66828) or Party of Democratic Kampuchea (DK) regime ruled Cambodia from 1975–1979. Nuon Chea was a former leader of the Cambodian National Assembly during the DK’s tenure. Nuon Chea is the second high ranking member of the former regime to face charges from the Tribunal, in July Kaing Guek Eav aka Duch (UID 582404) was similarly charged.

This month a former top aide of Brazilian President Lula da Silva has been indicted on corruption charges. Jose Dirceu (UID 4459) will go on trial for allegedly taking part in a bribery scheme which spanned 2004 and 2005 to ensure the ruling Workers Party (PT) stayed in power. The indictment charges include money laundering, tax evasion, corruption and embezzlement. Reportedly in 2005 Dirceu was expelled from Congress and banned from holding political office for 10 years.

Gyude Bryant (UID 180350) who was placed in power by regional peace brokers as a caretaker interim President after Charles Taylor (UID 3232) was forced out of office in 2003, is facing trial on corruption charges. Bryant, chairman of the Liberia Action Party, held office until January 2006 when Ellen Johnson-Sirleaf (UID 364450) was returned as the newly elected President of Liberia in the country’s first democratic election. Bryant is accused of embezzling $1.3m during his tenure.

Diepreye Alamieyeseigha (UID 148), the former Governor of the oil rich Bayelsa state in Nigeria, who was highlighted in our September 2005 Intelligence Briefing has been convicted on six counts of fraud and false declaration of assets and sentenced to 12 years in jail. Alamieyeseigha, however, has already been released from jail after the judge ruled his sentence of two years per charge to run concurrently, was back dated to run from his initial arrest date in December 2005. He was ordered by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC)to forfeit 11 of his properties. The properties are situated in Nigeria, Great Britain in various locations within London and South Africa. He was also required to return monies to the Bayelsa State Government.

This month the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) in Nigeria has brought charges against a number of former governors. Jolly Nyame (UID 34838) whose tenure as Governor of North Eastern Taraba ended in May has been accused of embezzling more than $10 million in state funds in the final two years of his tenure. In the meantime a former governor accused of stealing $2 million in property and more than double that amount from the state treasury failed to appear in court. Senator Chimaroke Nnamani (UID 34822) was the governor of the southern Enugu State from 1999 to earlier this year. No new date has been set for Nnamani’s court case.