Although this case should be viewed as separate from the multifaceted legal challenges facing former French President Nicolas Sarkozy, both, however, are major indicators of the French judiciary’s intensified focus on anti-corruption efforts involving powerful figures.

The latest developments in the looming trial of a retired French Air Force General and a European civil servant over an alleged influence-peddling scheme for a 100 million diplomatic complex in Mogadishu, Somalia, is less a routine court case and more a testament to the unyielding campaign waged by a single individual: Abshir Aden Ferro.

The Franco-Somali businessman and politician has spent nearly a decade fighting to expose the alleged corruption at the heart of a major European Union construction tender. A battle he has directly linked to the broader effort to restore good governance and integrity in his home country. The French National Financial Prosecutor’s Office (PNF) is actively investigating the allegations brought by Abshir Aden Ferro, underscoring France’s extraterritorial jurisdiction over its citizens alleged corrupt acts abroad.

The Spark of the Scandal

The entire affair, dubbed “Somaligate” as Financial Afrik already reported, burst into public view after a secretly recorded meeting in November 2015. Abshir Aden Ferro, whose companies were involved in the tender, allegedly walked out of the meeting of the Rapid consortium—the French group that secured the contract—after hearing the former...

Read Full Story: https://news.google.com/rss/articles/CBMigAJBVV95cUxPRG1icTNacXQ2U2ZmNmE3WDZE...