The chief executive of French offshore shipowner Bourbon is appealing against his conviction in a West African bribery case that could see him barred from running the company.
Gael Bodenes received a two-year suspended jail sentence and a three-year ban on operating a business at Marseilles criminal court, French media reported.
Bodenes disputes the charges and is appealing against the conviction, which means his sentence has been suspended until his appeal is heard.
He was one of eight Bourbon employees on trial in a case relating to bribery of tax officials in Nigeria, Cameroon and Equatorial Guinea in 2011 and 2012.
Bourbon said in a statement that its supervisory board noted the decision following the opening of a probe in 2012.
“At that time, Gael Bodenes was only one of the members of the executive committee in charge of operations,” the company said.
“Gael Bodenes, who disputes the charges against him, is appealing the decision. The appeal suspends the court’s decision until the Court of Appeal has made its ruling.”
The magistrate concluded that there was no widespread system of corruption at Bourbon, the shipowner added.
The board reiterated its commitment to the principle of presumption of innocence.
Chairman Jean Peyrelevade said: “The supervisory board expresses its support for Gael Bodenes and reaffirms its confidence.
“We are convinced that he will be able to stay the course and continue to manage the group with integrity and responsibility.”
AFP quoted Bodenes’ lawyer, Patrick Maisonneuve, as saying: “Even if the court put many things into perspective, the facts are disputed and we disagree with this decision.”
Les Echos reported that the probe was prompted by the discovery by customs officers at Marseilles airport of $250,000 in cash in the suitcase of the group’s tax director at the time, Marc Cherqui.
Powers of Africa reported that Cherqui was given a six-month suspended jail term.
The court considered the cash was “indissociably linked to corruption” and said Cherqui was bringing it back “for his own account and benefit”.
He cooperated with the inquiry and admitted the offence.
“It was at the group level that the decision was taken and the benefit expected,” the court ruled. Payments totalled more than $3m, the trial heard.
Bodenes and two other executive committee members at the time, Laurent Renard and Christian Lefevre, were identified as “perpetrators of corruption offences”, Powers of Africa reported.
Renard also received a two-year suspended sentence and a three-year ban.
Lefevre was handed a 30-month suspended prison sentence.
Bourbon’s former owner Jacques de Chateauvieux was not involved in the case.
The company was later taken over by its banks.
