Oil firm caught up in bribery allegations denies holding Maltese bank account

British oil firm Tullow has said it holds no bank account in Malta, denying bribery claims levied against by Ugandan MPs after documents were tabled in parliament claiming the oil firm wired cash from Bank of Valletta to an account held by East Africa Development Ltd with EPG Private Bank Limited, in the UK.

Ugandan MP Gerald Karuhanga alleged that Tullow’s former country manager, Brian Glover, wired the money from the company’s accounts with BOV.

Documents from Malta’s economic crimes unit and the Metropolitan Police’s service proceeds of corruption unit, seen by MaltaToday, dispute the authenticity of the documents.

According to a letter from the economic crimes unit to the Attorney General, Bank of Valletta said third party payment forms suggesting that monies were paid to East Africa Development Ltd were “forgeries” and that Tullow Oil and Brian Glover held no accounts with the bank.

“BOV was furnished with a copy of all the alleged transactions for verification. Subsequently, a thorough and length search was conducted by the mentioned bank staff, which unfortunately yielded negative results,” police inspector Maurice Curmi told the AG.

On its part, the Met said that an IBAN number supplied for the alleged transaction did not match any bank accounts held by EPG Private Bank.

Det. Sergeant George Simpson also said he had doubts as to the authenticity of a Tullow Oil power of attorney letter, purportedly signed by CEO Aidan Heavey.

Karuhanga alleged that Tullow paid up to $100 million to “expert” bureaucrats, among them the three ministers, in June 2010 for oil exploration rights.

Tullow said the allegations were “outrageous and wholly defamatory”. Heavey said the firm never had any bank accounts in Malta.

The Ugandan parliament has asked the implicated ministers to step aside to pave way for an inquest by an ad hoc committee of the House. The committee is expected to travel to Malta in a bid to confirm the authenticity of the allegedly forged documents.

Karuhanga said MP Sam Kutesa, through his company East African Development, received the money through EPG after leaving a Tullow account 40037242019 in Bank of Valletta through a recipient bank in Dubai.

President Yoweri Museveni said the investigations showed the documents were forged. “They have concluded their investigations in London and their investigations in Malta. These documents are a forgery and I have that evidence,” Museveni said.

Karuhanga maintained that the documents he tabled in parliament are authentic. “Let us wait for the committee [ad hoc committee set up to investigate the allegations], but we are confident our documents are genuine,” Karuhanga said.