Gemfields aids authorities in securing prison sentences for bribery totalling 5 years 9 months
The former chief of staff to Andry Rajoelina, the President of Madagascar, was jailed for three and a half years by a London court on Friday 10 May 2024 for soliciting a bribe from Gemfields, the 75% owner of Kagem Mining Ltd.
The former chief of staff, Romy Andrianarisoa (47) and her French accomplice, Philippe Tabuteau (54) sought nearly USD 300,000 by wire transfer plus 5% of any Gemfields mining operation in Madagascar in return for assisting Gemfields in establishing a gemstone joint venture in the country.
Tabuteau, who had pled guilty prior to the court case, was sentenced to two years and three months in prison.
Gemfields reported the bribe request to Britain’s National Crime Agency (NCA) in 2023, following which the NCA deployed an undercover officer to further the investigation and leading to the arrest of Andrianarisoa and Tabuteau.
The NCA has now released 6 audio clips from the undercover operation on the NCA’s Instagram and X accounts.
Andy Kelly, Head of the International Corruption Unit (ICU) at the NCA, said:
“We are particularly grateful to Gemfields for not only bringing this matter to our attention, but also continuing to work with us throughout the investigation to bring about a successful result.”
Thomas Short, a specialist economic crime prosecutor in the Crown Prosecution Service, said:
“Romy Andrianarisoa is a corrupt official who chose to enrich herself in the course of her public duties.
By reporting the pair to the authorities Gemfields have protected their business and those of others from greedy and unscrupulous individuals.”
