French tycoon Vincent Bolloré to stand trial in ‘African ports’ corruption case
Vincent Bolloré to Face Trial in Paris for Alleged Corruption
Vincent Bolloré to Face Trial in Paris for Alleged Corruption
French industrialist Vincent Bolloré is scheduled to stand trial in December before the Paris criminal court concerning the "African ports" case. He faces charges related to alleged corruption of foreign public officials and aiding and abetting breach of trust, linked to the 2010 presidential campaigns in Togo and Guinea. Investigations suggest that subsidiaries of the Bolloré group provided communication services at reduced prices to the campaigns of Faure Gnassingbé and Alpha Condé.
In exchange, the group allegedly secured control of strategic ports in Lomé, Togo, and Conakry, Guinea.
A coalition of non-governmental organizations from Togo, Guinea, Ghana, the Ivory Coast, and Cameroon, named "Restitution for Africa," accuses the Bolloré Group and its leadership of unlawfully obtaining port management privileges. The group is also accused of "laundering" money through the sale of its Africa logistics business.
Vincent Bolloré to Face Trial in Paris for Alleged Corruption French industrialist Vincent Bolloré is scheduled to stand trial in December before the Paris criminal court concerning the "African ports" case.
The investigation began in 2013 and led to the indictment of Bolloré and two senior executives of Euro RSCG, now Havas, in 2018. In 2021, Bolloré admitted to the charges in a guilty plea procedure, accepting a 375,000-euro fine. However, the Paris court rejected this agreement, resulting in the initiation of a full trial.
Bolloré Group's African ports and logistics division, sold in 2022, employed over 20,000 individuals in 20 African countries. It managed 16 ports, warehouses, and transport hubs across the continent.
Cyrille Bolloré, Vincent Bolloré's youngest son, took over as head of Bolloré Africa Logistics in 2019.
Based on reporting by Africanews.
