Former Glencore employees plead guilty to UK Bribery Charges Ahead of 2027 Trial

Four former Glencore oil traders pleaded not guilt in a London Court on Monday to bribery allegations relating to the Swiss commodity trading company's operations in West Africa. Their trial is scheduled for 2027.

Martin Wakefield has pleaded not guilt to three charges of conspiring with Glencore to make corrupt payments between 2007 and 2014 to government officials in Nigeria and Cameroon, and Ivory Coast.

David Perez denied two charges of conspiring to make corrupt payments in relation to operations in Cameroon, Ivory Coast. Paul Hopkirk, Ramon Labiaga and David Perez pleaded no contest to a single charge relating to Nigeria.

Perez and Wakefield also denied the charge of conspiring to falsify invoices that purported to show service charges owed from 2007 to 2011.

The trial will begin in October 2027, and last up to six months.

Last year, Glencore's former oil head Alex Beard and former oil operations head Andrew Gibson were both charged with bribery.

Beard and Gibson who both had indicated at

First court appearance

They did not appear on Monday or enter pleas despite pledging not guilty last year. Reporting by Sam Tobin, Robert Harvey and Sam Tabahriti. Editing by Catarina demony and Sam Tabahriti.

(source: Reuters)