* S.Africa detectives open investigation into MTN
* Mobile giant accused of corruption in Iran
(Adds background)
By Helen Nyambura-Mwaura
JOHANNESBURG, June 5 (Reuters) – South Africa’s elite Hawks
police unit has opened an investigation into allegations of
corruption at mobile phone giant MTN relating to its
purchase of a cellular licence in Iran, a police spokesman said
on Tuesday.
The police probe follows a $4.2 billion U.S. civil claim
filed in March by Turkish operator Turkcell accusing
Africa’s largest mobile firm of bribing Iranian officials with
cash and promises of weapons to secure the licence, which was
originally awarded to Turkcell.
“There are allegations of corruption. That’s exactly what
we’re investigating,” Hawks spokesman MacIntosh Polela said.
MTN executives were also accused in the U.S. court papers of
promising to get Pretoria to vote favourably about Tehran’s
nuclear programme at international forums trying to curb Iran’s
suspected pursuit of nuclear weapons.
MTN officials have denied any wrongdoing and described the
Turkcell case, which is backed by a collection of alleged MTN
internal documents including emails, invoices, memos and
presentations, as without legal merit.
Pretoria has also denied that its diplomacy is for sale.
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