The chief of staff to the president of Madagascar has been charged with bribery over an alleged attempt to secure bribes worth about £225,000 from the British owner of the luxury gemstone company Fabergé.
Romy Andrianarisoa, the chief of staff to Andry Rajoelina, and an associate are accused of offering Gemfields, the London-listed mining company that owns Fabergé, mining licences in Madagascar in return for 250,000 Swiss francs (£225,000) and a 5% equity stake in any Gemfields projects in the country, according to the UK’s National Crime Agency (NCA).
