Nigeria to Charge Dick Cheney in Alleged Bribery Case

Nigerian authorities plan to file charges against ex-US vice president Dick Cheney over a bribery scandal allegedly involving energy firm Halliburton, a spokesman for the anti-graft agency said Thursday, AFP is reporting.

Asked by AFP, whether Cheney would be charged over the investigation into construction of a liquefied natural gas plant in southern Nigeria, Femi Babafemi said, "it's true ... definitely."


The spokesman could not give details on the charges that he says are likely to be filed next week, but said "they are not unconnected to his role as the chief executive of Halliburton."

A prosecutor on the case said joint charges would be filed against Cheney along with the former and current leadership of Halliburton and others.

The case involves an alleged 182 million dollar cash-for-contract scandal over a 10 year period up until 2005, over construction of the LNG plant in southern Nigeria. Halliburton has denied involvement in the allegations, but last yeart Halliburton and KBR agreed to pay 177 million dollars to settle charges from the SEC.

KBR agreed to pay a further 402 million dollars to settle criminal charges brought by the US Justice Department.

Officials from companies in a consortium involved in the LNG plant would also be included in the charges to be "placed before the court at the latest by Tuesday of next week," Godwin Obla, at the anti-graft agency, told AFP..


The charges are to be filed at the high court in the capital Abuja, he said.

Cheney would face conspiracy charges and a Nigerian judge would be asked to issue an arrest warrant for him that would be transmitted to Interpol, said Obla.