MTN Director Expelled from Ivory Coast

The Côte D'Ivory government has expelled a director of the local arm of South Africa based MTN Group - claiming that he has embarrassed the President. According to a statement from the Interior Ministry, Aimable Mpore has been given five days to leave the country. The statement was read out live on national television last Wednesday during the evening broadcast.

It is being claimed that he had made a financial donation of CFA 65.5 million (US$132,000) to a former secretary in President Laurent Gbagbo's office to help build a clinic and buy an ambulance.

The authorities are blaming Mr Mpore, a Rwandan-Canadian national, for failing to cross-check with the presidency before making the donation. The secretary, Mrs Bléhon Emilienne has been arrested on charges of alleged fraud and bribery - although it may prove difficult to pursue a trial if Mr Mpore is barred from returning to the country.

"Until we establish ourselves what actually happened we will not be able to comment," Xolisa Vapi, the general manager for corporate affairs for MTN Group told Bloomberg News.

MTN Cote d'Ivoire recently brought the landline operator, Arobase Telecom and major ISP, Afnet.

Posted to the site on 8th February 2009