(Adds detail and background, updates shares)
* Suit alleges “orchestra of corruption” by MTN
* Case threatens to tarnish flagship post-apartheid firm
* Alleges MTN swayed South Africa vote on Iran at IAEA
* Shares in MTN down 3 percent
By David Dolan
JOHANNESBURG, March 30 (Reuters) – Shares in MTN Group
slid on Friday after rival Turkcell filed a
$4.2 billion suit against the South African mobile operator,
alleging it bribed officials and lobbied support for Tehran’s
nuclear programme to win an Iranian licence.
Turkcell, which lost the 2004 bid for the Iranian licence to
MTN, filed the suit in a U.S. federal court in Washington,
accusing the Johannesburg-based firm of using its influence with
Pretoria to arrange support for Iran’s military.
The Turkcell case threatens to tarnish the reputation of
both MTN – a black-run company widely seen as a post-apartheid
success story – and the South African government, including
former President Thabo Mbeki.
Continued…
