Abribery trial in Lesotho involving more than 20 international companies and individuals that was due to start in early May has now been postponed until June 5.
The Lesotho High Court delayed the start of proceedings at the request of the prosecution because some of the international contractors and consultants charged with bribery have not yet been served with summonses.
The firms, including several joint ventures, face 16 counts of alleged bribery involving Masupha Sole, the former chief executive of the Lesotho Highlands Development Authority, who had overall charge of the combined tunnel and dam scheme.
The firms charged include: Acres International (Canadian); Coyne et Bellier, Sogreah, Spie Batignolles and Dumez International (all French); ABB and Lahmeyer International (German); Universal Development Corporation and Electro Power Corporation (Panamanian); Associated Consultants and Project Managers (Lesotho) and Sir Alexander Gibb and Partners (British).
Two consortiums were charged: Lesotho Highlands Project Contractors (LHPC), which includes Balfour Beatty (British), Spie Batignolles and Ed Züblin (German) and Highlands Water Venture (HWV), which includes Kier International (British) and Impregilo (Italian). LHPC built the water transfer tunnels while HWV constructed the Katse dam. Mr Sole is charged with accepting about US$1.7 million in bribes.
