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Today, a historic trial is starting in Calvin’s city. Israeli billionaire Beny Steinmetz faces charges of “corruption of foreign public officials” and “document forgery” with two business partners. He is alleged to have arranged the transfer of at least USD 8.5 million from 2006 to 2012 to get his hands on the Simandou iron-ore deposit in the Republic of Guinea. Switzerland must take preventive action so that it will no longer be complicit in predatory practices that deprive the populations of resource-rich countries of essential revenues.
Mining magnate Beny Steinmetz will finally have to respond to the charges against him in court, seven years after the case was opened. According to Geneva’s public prosecutor, from 2005 onwards, the businessman engaged in a “corrupt pact” with former president of Guinea Lansana Conté, who was in power from 1984 to 2008, and his fourth wife Mamadie Touré. At least USD 8.5 million were transferred to T