Assistant to the president of Madagascar charged in Britain with bribery

LONDON, Aug 14 (Reuters) – The Madagascar president’s chief of staff has been arrested in London after being suspected of seeking a bribe from gemstone miner Gemfields. (GEMGE.L)Britain’s National Crime Agency (NCA) said on Monday.

Romy Andrianarisoa, who works for Madagascar President Andry Rajoelina, was arrested along with a French associate at a meeting in London where the NCA said they were believed to have tried to solicit a bribe to obtain licenses to operate on the African island nation.

Neither spokespersons for Rajoelina’s office nor representatives for the suspects were immediately available.

The NCA said the couple were seeking around 225,000 pounds ($286,000) in up-front fees, as well as a 5% equity stake.

“I am grateful to Gemfields for bringing this matter to our attention and for their continued cooperation with the investigation,” Andy Kelly, head of the NCA’s international corruption unit, said in a statement.

“Your quick reactions to getting the NCA involved have been critical to our ability to move this case forward.”

The UK-based miner owns the Faberge jewelery brand, operates ruby ​​and emerald mines in southern Africa and has been exploring the possibility of setting up operations in countries including Ethiopia and Madagascar.

Andrianarisoa, 46, and French national Philippe Tabuteau, 54, appeared in court on Saturday and are remanded in custody until their next hearing in London on September 8.

Gemfields declined to comment.

($1 = 0.7881 pounds)

Reporting by Sachin Ravikumar; Additional reporting by Lovasoa Rabary in Antananarivo; Edited by Andrew Cawthorne

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