Lesotho
Western companies may now be banned from bidding on contracts in the Third World if they are found to have bribed local officials. Until recently, African governments have prosecuted only the person who took a bribe, not the company that offered it. But this week the High Court in the tiny nation of Lesotho fined a Canadian company, Acres International, more than $2 million for paying a $400,000 bribe to win a lucrative water-development contract. “There was a total absence of remorse. All that Acres appears to regret is that it was caught,” said Judge Mahapela Lehohla. “Heavy sentences are needed when bribery and corruption has been detected.”
Subscribe to The Week
Escape your echo chamber. Get the facts behind the news, plus analysis from multiple perspectives.
Sign up for The Week's Free Newsletters
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
-
Why does the U.S. need China's rare earth metals?Today's Big Question Beijing has a 'near monopoly' on tech's raw materials
-
When did divorce begin?The Explaine Couples have always split up, but the institution has undergone major changes over the years
-
What are your retirement savings account options?The explainer The two main types of accounts are 401(k) plans and individual retirement accounts (IRAs)
