US Congressman With Oil Rich Equatorial Guinea Ties on Corruption Charges

06-07-2007

United States congressman, William Jefferson, who appears to have extensive and influential business connections in oil-rich Equatorial Guinea and Botswana, was indicted by a federal grand jury.

The 16-point, 95 page-long indictment, among others, charges Jefferson with bribery and racketeering for allegedly using his office to corruptly solicit bribes and for paying bribes to a foreign official, government officials, and utilizing congressional staff members to promote businesses and businesspersons.

Business ventures that Congressman Jefferson sought to promote included: telecommunications deals in Nigeria, Ghana, and elsewhere; oil concessions in Equatorial Guinea; satellite transmission contracts in Botswana, Equatorial Guinea, and the Republic of Congo; and development of different plants and facilities in Nigeria.”

Furthermore, the indictment states, “Jefferson did demand, seek, receive, accept, and agree to receive and accept things of value from (a company) in the form of a share of (the company’s) gross revenue from satellite transmission contracts it sought in Botswana, Equatorial Guinea and the Republic of Congo”. The funds were to be paid to ANJ, a Jefferson family controlled company. These was done in return for Jefferson’s performance of official acts “to advance (the company’s) efforts to obtain satellite transmission contracts” the indictment states.

The indictment covers the period from August 2000 to August 2005, while he served as an elected member of the U.S. House of Representatives.
Jefferson paid a 10-day working visit to Botswana (April 6-15 2001), sponsored by Botswana Confederation of Commerce, Industry and Manpower (BOCCIM).
The purpose of the trip was to investigate the “Accelerated and Growth Opportunities Act (AGOA) implementation; anti-AIDS initiatives and diamond industry in Botswana.”

Jefferson’s trip, on which his child Jelani Jefferson accompanied him, set back the sponsors by $20,753.33. He is known to have paid subsequent trips to the country, hobnobbing with some local elites to some of Botswana’s exotic spots like Kasane.

Congressman Jefferson is also said to have been used in Botswana’s diamond for development campaign. Records indicate that n 2001 Congressman Jefferson was one of the dignitaries that were expected to attend Lady Ruth Khama’s funeral in Serowe.