TISL writes to UK Serious Fraud Office on Airbus Scam

Colombo (News 1st) - Transparency International Sri Lanka has written to the United Kingdom's Serious Fraud Office, posing several queries regarding the Airbus scandal. The letter states, while the UK's Serious Fraud Office's investigation has resulted in a Deferred Prosecution Agreement with Airbus wherein the manufacturer has agreed to pay a fine and costs amounting to 991 million euros in the UK, general principles to compensate overseas victims in bribery, corruption, and economic areas has not been given due consideration. Accordingly, TISL has posed several queries to the Serious Fraud Office. 1) Section 1 of the General Principles mandates the Serious Fraud Office, the Crown Prosecution Service and National Crime Agency to consider the question of compensation in all relevant cases. What were the reasons that justified your decision not to consider this case in line with the General Principles? 2) Why did the Serious Fraud Office and Crown Prosecution Service not include compensation as part of the terms of the DPA entered into with Airbus SE ? 3) Did the SFO work collaboratively with the Department for International Development, Foreign and Commonwealth Office, Home Office and HM Treasury to * Identify potential victims including affected states * Assess the case for compensation? * Obtain evidence including statements in support of compensation claims? The letter goes onto note that the TISL is aware of 5 prior instances where the SFO along with the NCA and CPS have secured compensation for overseas victims totaling 42.9 million Euros as disclosed by the SFO's website. Thus, it is said that TISL is understandably concerned that it appears the same yardstick may not have been used to assess Sri Lanka's case for compensation.