Virunga: UK oil firm accused of bribery in DR Congo national park
4,537 views · Published 10 June 2015 · 4:27 · Indexed 20 September 2026
Channel: Channel 4 News · 2015 · News & Politics
British oil company Soco International paid off an army officer accused of silencing critics of exploration in Democratic Republic of Congo's Virunga National Park, an NGO alleges. Global Witness published scans of four cheques totalling $15,600 (14,000 euros) allegedly issued by Soco's Congolese subsidiary to the major posted to the park, a UNESCO World Heritage Site that is home to many of the world's critically endangered mountain gorillas. The British NGO also published what it said was a receipt for the cheques signed by the officer on May 15, 2014, along with another dated April 30, 2014, confirming he had received $26,650 (24,000 euros). In a statement SOCO said they “strongly refute any suggestion that this funding was in any way improper or connected with alleged acts of intimidation or violence.“ Sign up for Snowmail, your daily preview of what is on Channel 4 News, sent straight to your inbox, here: http://mailing.channel4.com/public/snowmail/remotebox.jsp Missed Channel 4 News? Catch up on the last seven days here: http://www.channel4.com/news/catch-up/ Channel 4 News weather forecast, with Liam Dutton: http://www.channel4.com/weather/ All the latest blog posts from the Channel 4 News on-screen talent: http://blogs.channel4.com/news/
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