Business Day
December 13, 2002

MASERU — The Court of Appeal of Lesotho has granted an application by the Canadian engineering company Acres International for the suspension of payment of a $22-million fine imposed on the firm for bribing a senior official of the Lesotho Highlands Water Project.

The president of the Court of Appeal, Mr Justice Jan Steyn, sitting with two other appeal court judges, allowed suspension of payment of the fine imposed by the Lesotho High Court pending the outcome of an appeal by Acres International against conviction and sentence for bribery.

The company was convicted on two counts of bribing the Development Authority’s former chief executive Masupha Sole through an intermediary from 1991 to 1998. Some Cdn$68,0000 was involved.

The Appeal Court, however, ordered Acres International to provide a $2-million cash payment or a bank guarantee of $2-million from a South African or Lesotho bank, as security until the appeal was heard.

The security payment should be made by Jan. 9, 2003.

The appeal has been set down for hearing during the April 2003 session of the Court of Appeal of Lesotho.