Sudan to probe officials in Kuwait company over sale of Heathrow landing rights
September 19, 2015 (KHARTOUM) – The Sudanese minister of justice asked the attorney general on Saturday to open an investigation on officials from Kuwaiti AREF Investment Group (AIG) and anyone else believed to be involved in the loss of Sudan Airways Heathrow landing slot.
In March 2013, Sudanese President Omer Hassan al-Bashir vowed to hold accountable those behind the loss of the Heathrow slot and to seek to either redeem it or have the airline reimbursed at a fair value.
Bashir’s directive came a day after receiving the report of the commission of inquiry headed by the then Transport Minister Ahmed Babiker Nahar.
Sudan Airways CEO and former investment minister al-Sharif Ahmed Omer Badr has been implicated in the scandal as he has reportedly approved the sale of the slot to British Midland International (BMI) for millions of dollars.
Badr was fired from Sudan Airways after AIG took over because of disagreements and was replaced by a Kuwaiti figure. When the Heathrow issue surfaced the company denied any involvement. It later re-sold its stake to the Sudanese government.
But Badr defended himself and challenged the commission to produce any document incriminating him.
The Sudanese minister of Justice also ordered the Bank of Sudan and the Ministry of Finance to halt disbursement of any dues for AIG and al-Fayhaa Holding Group pending the outcome of criminal and civil investigation.
The decree states that their agreement with AIG obligates them to compensate Sudan Airways for any loss resulting from the disbanding the partnership and to help restore landing rights at Heathrow airport if any AIG employee made personal gains from it.
Should they fail to reach an agreement they would seek arbitration at the Dubai Chamber for international commercial arbitration.
(ST)