The United Kingdom (UK) has concluded a 3 year probe into claims that cigarette maker British American Tobacco (BAT) branch in Nairobi engaged in corruption, in order to frustrate enactment of anti-smoking laws.
BAT was in 2015, accused of running a systematic bribery syndicate aimed at stifling anti-smoking laws and collecting business intelligence on rival Mastermind Tobacco.
UK’s Serious Fraud Office (SFO) said they lacked sufficient evidence during the probe.
On Friday, SFO said the evidence gathered “did not meet the evidential test for prosecution as defined in the Code for Crown Prosecutors”.
The SFO said it would “continue to help law enforcement agencies in other parts of the world, including Kenya, with their investigations,” the Financial Times reported.
The investigation would have thrust into the limelight top Kenyan officials named in the scandal, including former Justice minister Martha Karua and ex-Trade minister Moses Wetang’ula.
READ: BAT’s Lost War To Sell Tobacco Unrestricted
Both Ms Karua and Mr Wetang’ula had vehemently maintained that the allegations were baseless.
On its part, BAT welcomed the end of the probe.
“(BAT) is pleased that the SFO has closed its investigation and that the SFO is taking no further action in respect of this matter. BAT remains committed to the highest standards in the conduct of its business,” the firm was quoted saying in Financial Times.
UK authorities began investigating the cigarette company in 2017 after claims it bribed tax officials and legislators in Kenya to undermine anti-smoking laws as well as insiders in a rival company in order to undermine competition.
One of its employees told the BBC’s Panorama programme in 2015 that he had allegedly made such corrupt payments.
Kenyan Business Feed is the top Kenyan Business Blog. We share news from Kenya and across the region. To contact us with any alert, please email us to [email protected]