Romy Voos Andrianarisoa, former chief of staff to President Andry Rajoelina, used her influence to obtain bribes from the gemstone mining company Gemfields, judges at Southwark Crown Court said on Tuesday February 6, 2024, as part of the trial of the woman who has been incarcerated in London since 2023.
Romy Andrianarisoa, 47, is accused of having requested substantial payments from the company Gemfields, between 2021 and 2023, to help the company develop its activities in Madagascar. During a first appearance, at the beginning of September 2023, Andrianarisoa pleaded not guilty to this charge of corruption.
Prosecutor Alex Leach reminded jurors that at the time of the alleged events, Romy Andrianarisoa was a “trusted advisor” of President Rajoelina. Prosecutor Leach told the same jurors at Southwark Crown Court that in 2021 Romy Andrianarisoa met with senior executives at Gemfields, including CEO Sean Gilbertson, who then spoke about the possibility of exploitation mining in Madagascar.
Prosecutor Leach said Gemfields then contacted Britain’s National Crime Agency (NCA) after it became clear to him that Romy Andrianarisoa and his associate Philippe Tabuteau were seeking a bribe. During the meetings that followed, an undercover NCA agent recorded Romy Andrianarisoa and Philippe Tabuteau “demanding bribes in exchange for using their influence to obtain mining rights in Madagascar”said Prosecutor Leach.
According to the indictment, Romy Andrianarisoa and Philippe Tabuteau allegedly demanded approximately 270,000 Swiss francs (or 310,000 US dollars) plus a 5% stake in the mining company Gemfields in Madagascar.
Philippe Tabuteau was not present in courtroom 13, therefore not judged, this Tuesday February 6, 2024. The trial will continue until a verdict is unanimously pronounced by the jurors.
Collected by Jeannot Ramambazafy
Sources : NCA – Southwark Crown Court London
