Ethics Newsline®

A weekly digest of worldwide ethics news

World-Press Corruptions Stories Span Continents

Feb 18th, 2008 • Posted in: News

Graft allegations roil the Philippines; South Africa is the venue for the corruption trial of a political leader who may run for president; a Canadian probe of the former prime minister’s financial dealings sputters; and a prominent Russian anti-graft crusader is shot dead in an apparent execution

VARIOUS DATELINES
Ethics issues involving graft allegations figured in news reports worldwide last week. Among the stories:

  • The Philippine government, racked by a corruption scandal, says it will not tolerate graft and will mount an investigation into allegations of more than $130 million in kickbacks in a state telecommunication deal with a Chinese firm. The Manila Times reports that president Gloria Arroyo, stung by various calls for her resignation, last week warned that “we do not want to tolerate corruption.” While admitting that the Philippines has a “legacy of political corruption,” Arroyo said that her previous efforts to fight graft show a commitment toward a more transparent society.
  • South Africa’s upcoming corruption trial of political leader Jacob Zuma is focusing on whether documents seized from Zuma and his lawyer can be used in court. The Voice of America reports that prosecutors allege the documents contain proof that Zuma solicited bribes. Zuma, a popular political leader who may be a candidate for the nation’s presidency in 2009, is facing charges of money laundering, fraud, and racketeering. Zuma denied those charges, insisting that they are politically motivated.
  • A Canadian Commons ethics committee probe into the financial affairs of former prime minister Brian Mulroney is sputtering and may be turned over to officials for a public inquiry, reports the Toronto Globe & Mail. At issue is whether Mulroney received cash payments from a German-Canadian arms lobbyist while he was still in office. A string of witnesses with spotty memories has served only to cloud the issue, according to the report. Mulroney has denied any impropriety and said the investigation is a political vendetta.
  • One of Russia’s most prominent anticorruption enforcers was shot dead last week in what police characterize as a “hit man”-style slaying. The Moscow Times reports that a witness says Yevgeny Grigoryev was shot in the head and chest by a man wielding a pistol equipped with a silencer. Grigoryev, who had targeted several government officials suspected of bribery and blackmail, also had been the target of a previous assassination plot, according to the Moscow Times.

Sources: Manila Times, Feb. 16 — Voice of America, Feb. 16 — Globe & Mail, Feb. 15 — Reuters, Feb. 16.

For more information, see: Related Newsline story, Feb. 11 — Related Newsline story, Feb. 4 — Related Newsline story, Feb. 4 — Related Newsline story, Jan. 28 — Related Newsline story, Jan. 28.

Print This Story Print This Story Email This Story Email This Story

2 Responses »

  1. [...] more information, see: Related Newsline story, Feb. 18 — Related Newsline Commentary, Jan. 22 — Related Newsline story, Oct. [...]

  2. [...] more information, see: Related Newsline story, Mar. 3 — Related Newsline story, Feb. 18 — Related Newsline story, Feb. 4 — Related Newsline story, Apr. 24, [...]