Alex Beard, the billionaire former head of oil at Glencore Plc, pleaded not guilty to bribery and corruption charges involving oil deals in Nigeria and several West African countries. The case is being heard at court in London, setting up a highly anticipated trial next year.
Beard and his former colleague Andy Gibson are accused of conspiring to make corrupt payments to government officials and state-owned oil firm employees in Nigeria, Cameroon, and the Ivory Coast. The trial, which is expected to run for as long as 6 months, will hear UK’s Serious Fraud Office’s case against six former Glencore employees, including Beard and Gibson.
Gibson entered not guilty pleas to four charges of conspiracy to give corrupt payments and one for conspiring to falsify documents on Thursday at Southwark Crown Court. Beard pleaded not guilty, setting up a highly anticipated trial next year.