Nigeria’s Niger-Delta Kingpin, Tompolo under British Police Investigation for giving $154,000 bribe

The British Police under the instruction of the United Kingdom government is increasing its investigation on the complicity and bribery engaged by Nigeria’s repentant Niger-Delta warlord, Government Ekpemupolo, alias Tompolo where he handed out the sum of $154,000 cash to help facilitate sale of Naval vessels.

Information reaching us confirmed that also under investigation is CAS-Global Ltd, a United Kingdom (UK) firm for allegedly bribing a Norwegian official and relating with a Nigerian warlord in a multi-million-pound defense deal of seven decommissioned naval vessels.

Due to the urgency of this issue, governments of UK, United States, Nigeria and Norway are also conducting deep investigation on CAS-Global Ltd, in question to the allegation. Soon in Oslo, the case’s first court verdict based on the allegations will be announced.

The Bribery
Going by the intelligence reports received by our correspondents, CAS-Global Ltd. bought a hand naval vessel — the KNM Horten — via the U.K. and exported it to a Nigerian company controlled by Tompolo; which the Nigeria’s former warlord used for its waterways mouth-watering security deal with the Nigerian Maritime Administration and Safety Agency (NIMASA), formerly the National Maritime Authority (NMA) responsible for regulations related to Nigerian shipping, maritime labor and coastal waters. The agency also undertakes inspections and provides search and rescue services.

According to Corruption Watch, an anti-bribery group that is set to release a report on the issue soonest, the newly obtained documents also reveal the role UK government played in approving the export license for the deal.

Intelligence reports reveal that just last month, the Company House intended to dissolve the firm that was set up in 2008 as it seemed to be inactive. Cas-Global has already been the subject of an investigation since 2014 by the City of London police’s specialist anti-corruption unit.

Based on Guardian newspaper’s report, the London police stated that their detectives “continue to actively investigate the suspected bribery of a Norwegian public official in connection with the purchase of ex-naval vessels from 2012 onwards. The joint investigation with the Norwegian authorities has led to the arrest of four men.”

The city of London police is also “liaising with the American and Nigerian authorities in respect of inquiries connected to financial transfers.”

A fresh report from the Guardian newspaper revealed that the Norway authorities are prosecuting Bjørn Stavrum, who is a civil servant, for his alleged involvement on the said deal. The authorities claim that Stavrum received $154,000 from the firm, to help secure the sale of the naval vessels but has denied the claims. An indictment proves that Stavrum was paid the amount in two installments in 2013.

Indictment report reads: “The payments were improper, among other things because of Stavrum’s position, the amounts involved, and because they were kept hidden from his employer.”

The prosecutors also alleged the payment method was designed to disguise how the vessels were being sold to Ekpemupolo, the Niger Delta kingpin.

Meanwhile, Paul Holden who is the Corruption Watch’s investigations director, told the Guardian newspaper: “The UK government is clearly open to charges of hypocrisy if, on the one hand, it urges countries like Nigeria to fight corruption, while making no effort to prevent corruption in its own export license process.”