South African Press Association
September 18, 2003

A South African was sentenced yesterday in the Maseru High Court for bribery during the construction of the Lesotho Highlands Water Project.

Michiel du Plooy, from Ficksburg in the eastern Free State, was sentenced to a fine of R500,000 or five years in prison.

He also received an additional jail sentence of three years, which was wholly suspended.

His trial formed part of a series of bribery trials relating to the water project.

Du Plooy earlier pleaded guilty to acting as an intermediary in bribery payments to the former head of the Lesotho Highlands Development Authority, Masupha Sole.

He arranged yesterday to pay R100,000 of his fine immediately. The rest was to be paid off in two instalments of R200,000 each.

Du Plooy acted on behalf of an Italian consortium of companies that built the Katse Dam. During 1992 and 1993 he used a Swiss bank account to pay over $375,000 to Sole.

The former chief executive is already serving 15 years for accepting bribes from several international contractors and consultants.

The bribes were aimed at influencing him to award lucrative contracts from 1992 to 1997 for the construction of the giant water project.

October 15 has meanwhile been set for the trial of French construction company Spie Batagnolles to start in the Maseru High Court.

The multinational will be the third to be prosecuted by Lesotho’s authorities for alleged bribery relating to the water project.