Chit Chat
Welcome to Live View – Take the tour to learn more
Start Tour
There is currently 1 person viewing this thread.
23 Jul 18
19:01
Joined:
Date Joined:
05 Apr 06
...
Show More
Scheduled at 7:30pm :
CH 4 News :
In part two of our investigation into Arron Banks’ mining interests in Southern Africa, Channel 4 News details the transfer of thousands of pounds to a Lesotho cabinet minister and the subsequent issuing of a mining licence.
Channel 4 News has spoken to the minister, who admits he received the money, but both he and Banks strenuously deny that this was for the licence or a bribe.
Channel 4 News reveals the Brexit-backing businessman arranged and authorised the payments totalling ZAR 330,000 (GBP 19,000). One of these payments was paid in cash, and another was transferred to a private account in South Africa.
The investigation reveals allegations that:
•At the time of the payments, Banks was in the process of applying for a government licence to prospect for alluvial diamonds in Lesotho.
•Banks appears to have made false public statements about the success of his diamond mining operation in Lesotho.
•Banks made misleading statements about his charitable activities in Lesotho.
The evidence includes a series of emails seen by Channel 4 News, court documents and also in interviews carried out by this programme.
CH 4 News :
In part two of our investigation into Arron Banks’ mining interests in Southern Africa, Channel 4 News details the transfer of thousands of pounds to a Lesotho cabinet minister and the subsequent issuing of a mining licence.
Channel 4 News has spoken to the minister, who admits he received the money, but both he and Banks strenuously deny that this was for the licence or a bribe.
Channel 4 News reveals the Brexit-backing businessman arranged and authorised the payments totalling ZAR 330,000 (GBP 19,000). One of these payments was paid in cash, and another was transferred to a private account in South Africa.
The investigation reveals allegations that:
•At the time of the payments, Banks was in the process of applying for a government licence to prospect for alluvial diamonds in Lesotho.
•Banks appears to have made false public statements about the success of his diamond mining operation in Lesotho.
•Banks made misleading statements about his charitable activities in Lesotho.
The evidence includes a series of emails seen by Channel 4 News, court documents and also in interviews carried out by this programme.
Channel 4 News reports that Banks fostered a close relationship with a leader of the Basuto National Party in 2013 and 2014. During that time Mr John Maseribane was a cabinet minister in the coalition government that was running Lesotho.
It was during this period that Banks applied through Mohokare Mining for a government licence to prospect for alluvial diamonds at the Sebapala site.
Channel 4 News has obtained a series of emails between Banks and his associates which lay out payments made to John Maseribane in 2013 and 2014. One of these payments was made in cash, and a second was transferred to a personal bank account in South Africa from his personal account.
The emails raise serious questions about whether these payments were intended to facilitate Banks’ obtaining of a prospecting licence in Lesotho. He strongly refutes this.
A series of emails seen by Channel 4 News reveals that:
On 13th December 2013, Banks emailed John Maseribane to say: “The money for both purposes will be ready for collection by moss next week.”
Banks is copied in to a series of emails on 18th December 2013 in which a cash payment of ZAR50,000 to John Maseribane, via Moss Maseribane, is facilitated. The emails also discuss a further payment (ZAR280,000) which needs to be paid to the minister. When an associate of Banks suggests that Banks transfers the money from a UK bank account, he replied: “I prefer to deliver the cash…”.
On 24th December, Moss Maseribane, the daughter of John Maseribane, emails Banks and others saying: “Looking forward towards a fruitful business relationship this coming year.”
On 30th December 2013 an associate emails Banks to say that John Maseribane would prefer the further ZAR280,000 to be transferred into “his South African account”, and provides the bank account details.
Later that day, Banks emails his personal bankers requesting an “immediate transfer” of “280K SARand” to that very bank account.
On 16th February 2014, Moss Maseribane emails Banks to say: “My father had meeting with the minister of minings and our application has been approved.” Banks’ reaction to this was: “Finally – now the fun begins !!!”
On 5th June 2014 an associate sends Banks an email regarding a licence which will allow his company Mohokare Mining to prospect in Lesotho for two years. The email reads: “at long last………..one more for the mining portfolio”.
It is an offence under the Bribery Act 2010 to offer, promise or give any financial advantage to induce or reward a person to perform a function or activity improperly. It is also an offence to offer, promise or give any financial advantage to a foreign public official in order to obtain or retain business, or an advantage in the conduct of business.
Channel 4 News has interviewed Mr Maseribane and has asked him about these payments.
Mr Maseribane did not deny he had received the payments but instead he claimed Banks had provided him with financial support, including during his 2012 election campaign. Both Maseribane and Banks deny that the payments constituted a bribe.
It was during this period that Banks applied through Mohokare Mining for a government licence to prospect for alluvial diamonds at the Sebapala site.
Channel 4 News has obtained a series of emails between Banks and his associates which lay out payments made to John Maseribane in 2013 and 2014. One of these payments was made in cash, and a second was transferred to a personal bank account in South Africa from his personal account.
The emails raise serious questions about whether these payments were intended to facilitate Banks’ obtaining of a prospecting licence in Lesotho. He strongly refutes this.
A series of emails seen by Channel 4 News reveals that:
On 13th December 2013, Banks emailed John Maseribane to say: “The money for both purposes will be ready for collection by moss next week.”
Banks is copied in to a series of emails on 18th December 2013 in which a cash payment of ZAR50,000 to John Maseribane, via Moss Maseribane, is facilitated. The emails also discuss a further payment (ZAR280,000) which needs to be paid to the minister. When an associate of Banks suggests that Banks transfers the money from a UK bank account, he replied: “I prefer to deliver the cash…”.
On 24th December, Moss Maseribane, the daughter of John Maseribane, emails Banks and others saying: “Looking forward towards a fruitful business relationship this coming year.”
On 30th December 2013 an associate emails Banks to say that John Maseribane would prefer the further ZAR280,000 to be transferred into “his South African account”, and provides the bank account details.
Later that day, Banks emails his personal bankers requesting an “immediate transfer” of “280K SARand” to that very bank account.
On 16th February 2014, Moss Maseribane emails Banks to say: “My father had meeting with the minister of minings and our application has been approved.” Banks’ reaction to this was: “Finally – now the fun begins !!!”
On 5th June 2014 an associate sends Banks an email regarding a licence which will allow his company Mohokare Mining to prospect in Lesotho for two years. The email reads: “at long last………..one more for the mining portfolio”.
It is an offence under the Bribery Act 2010 to offer, promise or give any financial advantage to induce or reward a person to perform a function or activity improperly. It is also an offence to offer, promise or give any financial advantage to a foreign public official in order to obtain or retain business, or an advantage in the conduct of business.
Channel 4 News has interviewed Mr Maseribane and has asked him about these payments.
Mr Maseribane did not deny he had received the payments but instead he claimed Banks had provided him with financial support, including during his 2012 election campaign. Both Maseribane and Banks deny that the payments constituted a bribe.
I thought that was how you got contracts in the middle east and africa
just saying
just saying
The continent, in the main, has stood still for a hundred years while a few reap the lot.
A pattern is clearly developing to smear anyone remotely involved with Brexit or right wing ideology.
Exactly treetop. Smear smear smear all remain supporters and try and make the vote look bad.
Channel 4 news is so biased it's off the scale. They've been at centre of most (all?) of these remain smear campaigns.
I've not watched ANY of it that I can think of for weeks now and it makes 7-8pm a much nicer time of the day as I'm not watching smug biased unprofessional left wing t0ss3rs use the program to push their own personal agendas and talk endlessly about Brexit, Trump, and "diversity".
That reminds me, I should watch that video of Jordan Peterson putting the puffed up Cathy Newman in her place again :)
Channel 4 news is so biased it's off the scale. They've been at centre of most (all?) of these remain smear campaigns.
I've not watched ANY of it that I can think of for weeks now and it makes 7-8pm a much nicer time of the day as I'm not watching smug biased unprofessional left wing t0ss3rs use the program to push their own personal agendas and talk endlessly about Brexit, Trump, and "diversity".
That reminds me, I should watch that video of Jordan Peterson putting the puffed up Cathy Newman in her place again :)
Another toad that will no doubt be idolised by many on here.
.
https://www.channel4.com/news/diamonds-guns-and-russian-cash-the-extraordinary-new-claims-against-arron-banks
A Channel 4 News investigation has uncovered allegations that the Brexit donor planned military support for a Lesotho politician – and had business links with Russia’s state diamond company.
An investigation by Channel 4 News has uncovered serious allegations against Arron Banks and his African diamond mine empire.
Mr Banks was the biggest financial backer of the Brexit campaign in 2016.
But extraordinary new documents handed to police in South Africa – broadcast tonight on Channel 4 News – provide further allegations of his attempts to do business in Russia by trying to raise funds from Alrosa, the Russian state-owned diamond company.
They also accuse Banks and his associates of planning to set up a military training camp and “mercenary support” – “if need be” – to help get an African politician into power.
In the last week Channel 4 News has been reporting on Arron Banks’ ownership of diamond mines in southern Africa, looking into allegations that he sought Russian investment here, all the while denying it.
Trying to find out why he reported this diamond find in the kingdom of Lesotho as “significant” when others said it wasn’t. And talking to a government minister there who denied that Arron Banks had offered him bribes to secure a diamond mining contract.
A major source of these allegations has been a legal case at the High Court in Kimberley South Africa between Arron Banks and his former business partner, Chris Kimber.
Mr Banks denies the allegations and says he never had any business dealings in Russia ahead of the Brexit vote.
But Channel 4 News has now obtained an additional statement from Mr Kimber who worked in partnership with Arron Banks in his mining business – repeating the allegation there were such contacts in 2015.
The allegations are contained in a statement submitted to the South African Police’s investigative unit – known as the South African Hawks – by Banks’ former business partner, Chris Kimber, in November 2017.
Channel 4 News has confirmed that the Hawks are currently investigating these allegations.
The Hawks Statement claims that in 2015 the billionaire businessman was in discussions with Alrosa, the Russian diamond company.
“Arron Banks was in discussion with Alrosa, the Russian state diamond producer and he had made certain promises to them. The most important was that Arron Banks was to prove to Alrosa the quality of diamonds produced…”
“…He was further due to meet representatives, in London, in November, where he would be obliged to show them the quality of the production.”
The statement adds further detail to the claims made in the affidavit submitted to the High Court in Kimberley on 28 February 2018, and reported on Channel 4 News on July 20th that Banks travelled to Russia in 2015 and discussed Russian investment in his Southern African and Lesotho mines.
On the BBC last night another Banks business associate James Pryor was recorded saying Banks had sought investment from Russia though he later denied it.
But the police statement goes further. Not only does it allege that the Russians wanted proof of diamond production from Newlands mine in South Africa; but that Banks’ solution to the problem was to acquire diamonds from elsewhere.
His former business partner claims to the police: “It was decided by Arron Banks that diamonds would be acquired from third parties for export…
“…I was later to find out that Arron Banks…was involved in illicit diamond buying in various African countries.”
Mr Banks told Channel 4 News in a statement this afternoon that all the allegations against him are “ludicrous” and that he “had genuine concerns about the sanity and mental health of the editorial team responsible for the reports which the programme [that’s us] has broadcast.”
He’s also submitted his own statement against his former business partner to the South African police. The police told us an investigation has been escalated to police head office in Pretoria.
On Monday, Channel 4 News broadcast pictures of five diamonds allegedly from Mr Bank’s mine in Lesotho. The country’s Mining Commissioner told us they hadn’t been tested yet and were not a “significant find” as Mr Banks had claimed. Mineworkers told us they had not seen or heard of any diamonds.
In the Lesothan capital Maseru Channel 4 News tracked down a director of Mr Banks’s mining company, a lawyer and he said he hadn’t heard the news either.
The diamond mine is now closing though Mr Banks insists there has been a small number of quality finds. Channel 4 News also obtained emails showing that Mr Banks had paid at least £19,000 to a government minister in Lesotho. Mr Banks told this programme the true figure was nearer £107,000 for charity work and to help Masirebane and his work in Lesotho – and he denied it was a bribe for a mining licence.
Channel 4 News has now established Banks’s former business partner Chris Kimber has told South African police he was the middle man on cash payments involving the Minister’s daughter.
“I thought nothing of these payments until I was asked to pay an amount in excess of R500,000.”
Mr Kimber has also told police that diamonds were not Banks’s only ambition in Lesotho. He alleges it was: “…his grand plan to somehow gain a foothold whereby he would be able to not only control diamond flow, but also other aspects of the economy.”
In August 2014 Banks’s friend the Minister John Maseribane was forced to leave the country because of an attempted military coup.
Mr Kimber has told the South African police Banks wanted him back in power – and that he was prepared to offer Mr Maseribane mercenary support.
Channel 4 News put to the allegation to the Minister himself in an interview last week:
Reporter: “How far do you think his support for you went? Is there any evidence that after the military coup and he obviously wanted to help you get back into office? Did he offer you mercenary–?”
Maseribane: “Why are you pursuing this when I humbly ask requested you to close this chapter? Now you are touching on another military what I don’t know– ”
Reporter: “Did he ever offer you mercenary support?”
Maseribane: “I came back to Lesotho supported by SADC not any mercenaries.”
Reporter: “So he didn’t offer you any military support, that is fantasy, is it?”
Maseribane: “Go back to your research. There were no mercenaries.
Reporter: “There was no offer of military support?”
Maseribane: “I am saying there were no mercenaries.”
Reporter: “So no offer either?”
Maseribane: “We never discussed these issues.”
Channel 4 News has seen no evidence of any mercenary activity. However, the programme has seen email exchanges between Banks and his associates which discuss setting up a military training camp and buying semi-automatic weapons, stun grenades and pistols.
https://www.channel4.com/news/diamonds-guns-and-russian-cash-the-extraordinary-new-claims-against-arron-banks
A Channel 4 News investigation has uncovered allegations that the Brexit donor planned military support for a Lesotho politician – and had business links with Russia’s state diamond company.
An investigation by Channel 4 News has uncovered serious allegations against Arron Banks and his African diamond mine empire.
Mr Banks was the biggest financial backer of the Brexit campaign in 2016.
But extraordinary new documents handed to police in South Africa – broadcast tonight on Channel 4 News – provide further allegations of his attempts to do business in Russia by trying to raise funds from Alrosa, the Russian state-owned diamond company.
They also accuse Banks and his associates of planning to set up a military training camp and “mercenary support” – “if need be” – to help get an African politician into power.
In the last week Channel 4 News has been reporting on Arron Banks’ ownership of diamond mines in southern Africa, looking into allegations that he sought Russian investment here, all the while denying it.
Trying to find out why he reported this diamond find in the kingdom of Lesotho as “significant” when others said it wasn’t. And talking to a government minister there who denied that Arron Banks had offered him bribes to secure a diamond mining contract.
A major source of these allegations has been a legal case at the High Court in Kimberley South Africa between Arron Banks and his former business partner, Chris Kimber.
Mr Banks denies the allegations and says he never had any business dealings in Russia ahead of the Brexit vote.
But Channel 4 News has now obtained an additional statement from Mr Kimber who worked in partnership with Arron Banks in his mining business – repeating the allegation there were such contacts in 2015.
The allegations are contained in a statement submitted to the South African Police’s investigative unit – known as the South African Hawks – by Banks’ former business partner, Chris Kimber, in November 2017.
Channel 4 News has confirmed that the Hawks are currently investigating these allegations.
The Hawks Statement claims that in 2015 the billionaire businessman was in discussions with Alrosa, the Russian diamond company.
“Arron Banks was in discussion with Alrosa, the Russian state diamond producer and he had made certain promises to them. The most important was that Arron Banks was to prove to Alrosa the quality of diamonds produced…”
“…He was further due to meet representatives, in London, in November, where he would be obliged to show them the quality of the production.”
The statement adds further detail to the claims made in the affidavit submitted to the High Court in Kimberley on 28 February 2018, and reported on Channel 4 News on July 20th that Banks travelled to Russia in 2015 and discussed Russian investment in his Southern African and Lesotho mines.
On the BBC last night another Banks business associate James Pryor was recorded saying Banks had sought investment from Russia though he later denied it.
But the police statement goes further. Not only does it allege that the Russians wanted proof of diamond production from Newlands mine in South Africa; but that Banks’ solution to the problem was to acquire diamonds from elsewhere.
His former business partner claims to the police: “It was decided by Arron Banks that diamonds would be acquired from third parties for export…
“…I was later to find out that Arron Banks…was involved in illicit diamond buying in various African countries.”
Mr Banks told Channel 4 News in a statement this afternoon that all the allegations against him are “ludicrous” and that he “had genuine concerns about the sanity and mental health of the editorial team responsible for the reports which the programme [that’s us] has broadcast.”
He’s also submitted his own statement against his former business partner to the South African police. The police told us an investigation has been escalated to police head office in Pretoria.
On Monday, Channel 4 News broadcast pictures of five diamonds allegedly from Mr Bank’s mine in Lesotho. The country’s Mining Commissioner told us they hadn’t been tested yet and were not a “significant find” as Mr Banks had claimed. Mineworkers told us they had not seen or heard of any diamonds.
In the Lesothan capital Maseru Channel 4 News tracked down a director of Mr Banks’s mining company, a lawyer and he said he hadn’t heard the news either.
The diamond mine is now closing though Mr Banks insists there has been a small number of quality finds. Channel 4 News also obtained emails showing that Mr Banks had paid at least £19,000 to a government minister in Lesotho. Mr Banks told this programme the true figure was nearer £107,000 for charity work and to help Masirebane and his work in Lesotho – and he denied it was a bribe for a mining licence.
Channel 4 News has now established Banks’s former business partner Chris Kimber has told South African police he was the middle man on cash payments involving the Minister’s daughter.
“I thought nothing of these payments until I was asked to pay an amount in excess of R500,000.”
Mr Kimber has also told police that diamonds were not Banks’s only ambition in Lesotho. He alleges it was: “…his grand plan to somehow gain a foothold whereby he would be able to not only control diamond flow, but also other aspects of the economy.”
In August 2014 Banks’s friend the Minister John Maseribane was forced to leave the country because of an attempted military coup.
Mr Kimber has told the South African police Banks wanted him back in power – and that he was prepared to offer Mr Maseribane mercenary support.
Channel 4 News put to the allegation to the Minister himself in an interview last week:
Reporter: “How far do you think his support for you went? Is there any evidence that after the military coup and he obviously wanted to help you get back into office? Did he offer you mercenary–?”
Maseribane: “Why are you pursuing this when I humbly ask requested you to close this chapter? Now you are touching on another military what I don’t know– ”
Reporter: “Did he ever offer you mercenary support?”
Maseribane: “I came back to Lesotho supported by SADC not any mercenaries.”
Reporter: “So he didn’t offer you any military support, that is fantasy, is it?”
Maseribane: “Go back to your research. There were no mercenaries.
Reporter: “There was no offer of military support?”
Maseribane: “I am saying there were no mercenaries.”
Reporter: “So no offer either?”
Maseribane: “We never discussed these issues.”
Channel 4 News has seen no evidence of any mercenary activity. However, the programme has seen email exchanges between Banks and his associates which discuss setting up a military training camp and buying semi-automatic weapons, stun grenades and pistols.
Leopard, unfortunately you are wasting your time. Regardless of how much evidence comes up the morons will just call it a smear, fake news or come up with a pathetic excuse such as 'others do it too'. They are so entrenched in their position that they refuse to accept any evidence. It's a sad state of affairs that people are that stupid but they are.
The fact that they are not replying shows they know Banks is holed below the waterline....I reckon !
Two lines from the above report stand out to me:
A major source of these allegations has been a legal case at the High Court in Kimberley South Africa between Arron Banks and his former business partner, Chris Kimber.
Channel 4 News has seen no evidence of any mercenary activity.
A major source of these allegations has been a legal case at the High Court in Kimberley South Africa between Arron Banks and his former business partner, Chris Kimber.
Channel 4 News has seen no evidence of any mercenary activity.
Not long before we read that Nigel Farage is an alien from Mars !!
two legs bad four legs good
but suddenly no longer are the four legs being stood on
only now its two - oh how correct that was
but suddenly no longer are the four legs being stood on
only now its two - oh how correct that was
C4 have been shown to have no proof.
I really feel for the leopard & people like asparagus.
Saw the news & thought it was true.
.
https://order-order.com/2018/07/27/channel-4-news-admit-no-evidence/
c4 have retracted since.
I really feel for the leopard & people like asparagus.
Saw the news & thought it was true.
.
https://order-order.com/2018/07/27/channel-4-news-admit-no-evidence/
c4 have retracted since.
When does Tony Blair come out as the reincarnation of JC?
And Gina Miller the Virgin Mary
As the leavers have no plan according to everybody
do the remainers have a plan as to what type of remain they would like to see
Personally over the course of the next few years people will not notice
anything that much different apart from maybe the money going into the pockets
of the main leavers rather than the main remainers.
And Gina Miller the Virgin Mary
As the leavers have no plan according to everybody
do the remainers have a plan as to what type of remain they would like to see
Personally over the course of the next few years people will not notice
anything that much different apart from maybe the money going into the pockets
of the main leavers rather than the main remainers.
anyone with ukranian links needs to be deeply investigated imo......
Post Your Reply
Please login to post a reply.
Wonder
Instance ID: 13539