NEW YORK, Oct 5 (Reuters) - The former chief prosecutor of
the International Criminal Court will lead a review of
Bangladesh's investigation of alleged corruption tied to a major
bridge project, the World Bank said late on Friday.
Luis Moreno Ocampo will head the three-member panel and
deliver a report to the World Bank, one of several steps
necessary for the Washington-based development institution to
resume its $1.2 billion line of credit. Ocampo sought to
prosecute individuals for crimes against humanity at the ICC,
located in The Hague, Netherlands.
The World Bank canceled funding for the Padma River
development in Bangladesh in June, saying it had "credible
evidence" of high-level corruption among Bangladeshi government
officials.
The Padma Multipurpose Bridge, at 4 miles (6.2 km) long,
would be the longest water crossing in the country, linking the
underdeveloped south with the capital Dhaka and the main port of
Chittagong.
The bank said it would resume financing of the project once
agreed measures with the government were implemented.
These include an outside panel of experts to assess the
credibility of the government's investigation into allegations
of corruption in the bridge project by the specially appointed
Anti-Corruption Commission of Bangladesh (ACC).
Joining Ocampo on the panel are Timothy Tong, the former
commissioner of the Independent Commission Against Corruption in
Hong Kong, and Richard Alderman, former director of Britain's
Serious Fraud Office.
A report of its findings will also go to the government.
Bangladesh, as agreed, put all officials suspected of
involvement in the alleged corruption on leave until a full
investigation is completed, the World Bank said previously.
The other measures agreed were the appointment of a special
inquiry and prosecution team within the ACC to conduct the
investigation; and the introduction of new procurement
arrangements for the project, with more oversight and
transparency to ensure clean construction of the bridge.
World Bank President Jim Yong Kim said the development
lender is committed to ensuring the Padma project is implemented
with integrity.
"This panel creates a unique opportunity for the people of
Bangladesh to raise the bar on transparency, public
accountability and governance," Kim said in the statement.
Two former executives from Canadian engineering company
SNC-Lavalin Group Inc, which bid to supervise the
contractor on the bridge project, appeared in a Toronto court in
July accused of bribing officials in Bangladesh.
Canada launched an investigation last year into allegations
of corruption in the bridge bidding process after the World Bank
brought the issue to their attention.
