MTN is not commenting on the controversy surrounding the ongoing Iran\/Turkcell saga, instead putting its trust that the Hoffmann Committee established to investigate the claims will put it in the clear.<\/p>\n
On March 28, the Turkish-based telecoms firm filed a complaint in U.S. District Court of Columbia, Washington DC, against MTN Group, demanding $4.2 billion in damages over the award of the cellular licence in Iran in 2004.<\/p>\n
TurkCell claimed that MTN used political and monetary lures to enhance its relationships and leverage its position within Iran.<\/p>\n
Former ambassador to Tehran, Yusuf Saloojee, was fingered in the case, with Turkcell claiming that MTN made a payment of US200,000 (R1.6 million) towards the purchase of a house for Saloojee in South Africa.<\/p>\n
Subsequently, the South African government suspended Saloojee until investigations into his links to the MTN deal have been concluded. Saloojee has denied the allegations.<\/p>\n
Speaking on the suspension, group chief officer of human resources and corporate affairs for MTN, Paul Norman said that \u201cMTN cannot comment on the activities of South African government departments.\u201d<\/p>\n
MTN re-stated its approach to the saga: \u201cIn accordance with international best practice, MTN Group announced in February 2012 the formation of the Hoffmann Committee to investigate all allegations emerging from Turkcell\u2019s legal action in the US. Lord Hoffmann, the South African-born jurist and eminent former judge on the British Supreme Court will deliver his report later this year.”<\/p>\n
“MTN continues to regard Turkcell\u2019s allegations and legal tactics as mischievous and unwarranted. MTN is confident that Lord Hoffmann\u2019s report will be thorough and independent, and allow the company to draw a line under these allegations.”<\/p>\n
Who is Lord Hoffman?<\/strong><\/p>\n Lord Leonard Hoffmann is a retired and well-respected senior British judge.<\/p>\n He was born 1934 in Cape Town, South Africa. He was educated at the South African College School and the University of Cape Town, and then The Queen’s College, Oxford, as a Rhodes scholar.<\/p>\n He was an advocate of the Supreme Court of South Africa 1958-60, taught at Oxford in the 60s and was called to the English Bar. He was appointed a Queen’s Counsel (QC) in 1977, a judge of the High Court in 1985, a member of the Court of Appeal in 1992 and a Lord of Appeal in 1995.<\/p>\n Since his retirement in 2009 he has been acting as an international arbitrator and chairman of the London Financial Markets Law Committee. He also remains a part-time member of the Court of Final Appeal of Hong Kong.<\/p>\n Lord Hoffman, while gaining the reputation for being one of the top judges in law, has also had his share of controversy. In 1998, his failure to disclose his ties to Amnesty International – where his wife had been an administrative assistant for 21 years – had lead to the overturning of a House of Lords ruling.<\/p>\n Lord Hoffman had also previously been engaged in a lengthy legal battle where he had ruled for a journalist to reveal his sources on an unpublished article – a case which was ultimately thrown out.<\/p>\n More on the MTN\/Turkcell saga<\/strong> DA wades into MTN saga<\/strong><\/a><\/p>\n MTN-linked ambassador suspended<\/a><\/strong><\/p>\n MTN moves to have Turkcell claims dismissed<\/strong><\/a><\/p>\n How MTN allegedly bribed its way into Iran<\/strong><\/a><\/p>\n MTN CEO denies \u201ccover up\u201d<\/a><\/strong><\/p>\n Hawks swoop in on MTN<\/a><\/strong><\/p>\n MTN denies intimidating former employee<\/a><\/strong><\/p>\n
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