Having some ability to influence certain stories isn’t always bad. However, when this ability becomes destructive to the very nature of things, it becomes problematic. Corruption is a growing threat in our societies, particularly in Africa. That said, a Franco-Israeli businessman named Beny Steinmetz has been arrested for his attempts at corruption in Guinea.
In fact, he tried to bribe the Guinean president’s ex-wife by offering her a large sum of money. In exchange, he hoped to curry favor with the government. The Court of Appeal in Switzerland has rejected Mr Steinmetz’s appeal against his conviction for corruption related to mining rights in Guinea in 2021. He was sentenced to 5 years’ imprisonment.
His defense, which believed he would be exonerated, had announced that it would take the case to Switzerland’s highest court after failing before the Geneva Court of Appeal. In 2019, he was convicted of creating a complex financial network to pay bribes in order to obtain mining permits in the Simandou region of southeastern Guinea. The region is believed to contain the world’s largest untapped iron ore deposits. The prosecutor accused him of paying bribes to secure the rights.
The 67-year-old businessman, who made his fortune in diamonds, was sentenced by the Court of Appeal to 3 years’ imprisonment, half of which was suspended. This is well below the five-year sentence he received at his first trial. But the court of first instance, supported by the appeal judges, decided that it should pay 50 million Swiss francs in compensation, equivalent to 52 million US dollars.
Corruption and negative influence: Fighting for equality and justice in Africa
The bottom line is that it’s now easy to get what you want, as long as money is on the table. The government can order residents to leave and destroy existing infrastructure. All for the benefit of an influential foreign buyer.
A Lire: Ideologies on the true role of money: comfort or true happiness
There are powerful people who act abusively, hiring governors and generals for their protection, while paying bribes. They can do whatever they want and not respect the law. This is unacceptable. Africa shouldn’t be a place where people can come and do anything for money. Treating people like sheep and normalizing this practice is unacceptable. Many people in Europe probably think that Africa is a place where all you need is money to get what you want. It’s a stereotype that needs to be broken.
His arrest is also a lesson for those who consider the African continent to be a lawless zone. Africans make mistakes in Europe and are imprisoned. It’s important that we treat everyone equally, whether they’re African or European. Corruption and harmful influence must be combated.
Totally inspired by Zack Mwekassa’s video
