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The Guardian - UK
The Guardian - UK
National
David Pegg and Rob Evans

Two men acquitted of bribing Saudis in huge British defence deal

Southwark crown court graphic
Jury at Southwark crown court on Wednesday acquitted the two men of paying bribes. Composite: Guardian Design/Getty Images/Alamy

Two men have been acquitted of paying bribes totalling millions of pounds to high-ranking Saudis after they argued that they had been unfairly prosecuted.

Jeffrey Cook and John Mason had been accused of bribing a Saudi prince and his associates to secure and maintain a huge defence deal for a British company. But on Wednesday, a jury in London acquitted them after lawyers argued the payments had been authorised by the British and Saudi governments.

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