British Council Project- Please Help Fraud Whistleblower Save Career
British Council Project- Please Help Fraud Whistleblower Save Career
Why I am fundraising
I am appealing for your assistance to help an anti-corruption whistleblower and international development consultant save his career, combat corruption and injustice.
The Consultant uncovered signs of “fraud” and “corruption” with the contract for the evaluation of a 13€ million British Council “anti-corruption” project in Nigeria, and called for “criminal investigation”. The Belgian company awarded the EU funded “Evaluation Contract” then falsely accused him of fraud, in a report to the EU. This has left him unemployable, since January 2024.
The company offered the consultant hope of future contracts, if he lied that the company acted fairly towards him, the British Council, the EU, and Nigerians. He refused, though he has a wife, and aged mother, and a 10 year old son who are all suffering. The British Council project was an “anti-corruption” project.
Help, please
Please, help fight this injustice. We need to raise £5,000 to cover legal cost in London and Belgium. Please contribute, and share this page.
What are we trying to achieve?
We are trying to clear the consultant’s name, expose and help tackle corruption by foreign firms, and its consequences. People who live on less than $2 a day are easy prey for bribery and corruption. But, as Chatham House points out, corruption “diverts public resources away from vital sectors such as education, healthcare and infrastructure, fuelling poverty and inequality. “
Corruption also fuels gender inequality and human trafficking. It destroys the lives of many Nigerian women. Please see examples below.
https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/cd0k2r2jpg4o
Single women risk rape and exploitation in search for better life in Europe – Esther’s story
https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-europe-58585993
Human trafficking victim- Eunice’s story
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=f9FGYwBWU60
The path to Europe, detention, and deportation- Caroline’s story
https://refugeeresearch.net/rrn_node/belgium-the-death-of-semira-adamu-justice-still-awaited/
Semira Adamu
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=p2bwXBoEXwM
The case of Semira Adamu, a 20-year-old Nigerian national
Why should it matter to you?
As Chartham House points out “many Nigerians tolerate or even engage in corrupt practices as a means of survival”. However, corruption breeds other crimes, with global consequences, in the internet age. Please, see examples below.
Internet dating victim dies under train after £80,000 scam
https://www.aol.co.uk/news/private-school-pupil-16-killed-100445281.html
A 16-year-old British pupil took his life by suicide “after he was blackmailed on Snapchat
https://www.reddit.com/r/Scams/comments/17okyzt/my_mom_has_been_in_a_nigerian_romance_scam_for_7/
My mom has been in a Nigerian romance scam for 7 years and I don’t know what to do anymore
https://www.silicon.co.uk/security/cyberwar/fraud-crackdown-arrests-629988
Police Arrest Dozens In Cyber-Fraud Crackdown
Back in 2020 the European Commission suspended the Belgian company, which has now falsely accused the British Council project whistleblower of fraud, “from submitting bids for a period of 18 months from 23/01/2020”.
The EU Commission places an obligation on consultants to report and fight fraud against the EU budget. But, in a letter to the whistleblower, the Belgian company’s lawyer said
“There is no need to investigate this matter further, as you request in your letter of 6 March 2024 … and again in your e-mail of today (22 April 2024).”
“… there is no reason to involve the EU or the delegation”
“Should you nonetheless choose to do, then my client must reserve all its rights, in particular if your communication would be intended (or have the effect) of damaging” its reputation.
Contacted, European Public Prosecutors Office (EPPO) indicated the case called for further investigation but said it could not carry out the investigation. It said:
"The European Public Prosecutor’s Office (‘the EPPO’) has carefully assessed the report you have submitted, in accordance with the provisions of the Council Regulation (EU) 2017/1939 of 12 October 2017 implementing enhanced cooperation on the establishment of the European Public Prosecutor’s Office (‘the EPPO’), and concluded that the reported information falls outside its scope of competence, as provided for in Articles 22 and 23 of the said Regulation. Therefore, the EPPO has no legal basis to continue with an investigation of the alleged criminal offence".
Under the Belgian legal system, however, an “Investigating Judge”, has the power to carry out the “criminal investigation” EPPO says its “hands are tied” to carry out. Please, we need your help to pay for lawyers in London and Belgium, to file a criminal complaint with an investigating judge, to get justice, and to expose and combat corruption. Please help. Thank you.
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