President Uhuru Kenyatta has repeatedly stated his determination to fight corruption in his country and to impose transparency on Kenyan public officials over their assets.
However, according to the Pandora Papers, the Kenyan president owns an institution in Panama and many members of his immediate family – including his mother, brother and two sisters – own more than $ 30 million in offshore accounts.
Many leaders – including the Czech prime minister, the king of Jord, and the President of Ecuador – have been hiding their assets in offshore companies, mostly for tax evasion, according to a survey published by the International Consortium for International Research.
His Excellency President Uhuru Kenyatta’s made the following intervening response:
“My attention has been drawn to comments surrounding the Pandora Papers. Whilst I will respond comprehensively on my return from my State Visit to the Americas, let me say this:
“That these reports will go a long way in enhancing the financial transparency and openness that we require in Kenya and around the globe. The movement of illicit funds, proceeds of crime and corruption thrive in an environment of secrecy and darkness.
“The Pandora Papers and subsequent follow up audits will lift that veil of secrecy and darkness for those who can not explain their assets or wealth. Thank you.”, His Excellency President Uhuru Kenyatta.
600 journalists collaborated on this research and it was named Pandora Papers, a reference to the Pandora box . It was based on approximately 11.9 million documents from 14 financial services companies, which revealed more than 29,000 offshore companies.
According to these documents, King Abdullah II of Jordan has set up at least thirty offshore companies in tax havens. Through these companies, he bought 14 properties in the United States and the United Kingdom worth more than $ 106 million.
The Jordanian ambassador to Washington declined to comment, but the king’s lawyers, quoted by the BBC, said he had used his personal property and turned to offshore companies for security and confidentiality.
The Prime Minister of the Republic Andrei Bampis has placed $ 22 million to showcase companies that served the market of Big tower in Mougins in southern France.
“I have never done anything illegal or bad,” Babis responded on his Twitter account. “But that does not stop them from trying to discredit me and influence the parliamentary elections in the Czech Republic, ” which are scheduled for Friday and Saturday.
Ecuadorian President Guillermo Lasso has deposited assets in two trusts in South Dakota, according to the ICIJ, which has also made revelations about the presidents of Chile and the Dominican Republic.
“All my income is declared and I have paid the corresponding taxes to Ecuador,” assured Lasso, a former banker . “All the investments I have made in Ecuador and abroad were made legally,” he added.
In all, the International Consortium has identified links between assets held by offshore companies of 336 leaders and front-line politicians . They have set up about 1,000 offshore companies, more than two-thirds of which are located in the British Virgin Islands.
“This shows that the people who could end the offshore company secret, stop what is happening, are taking advantage of it themselves,” ICIJ Director Gerald Rile said in a video released yesterday. “We are talking about thousands of billions of dollars,” he added.
According to Maria Martini, a researcher with the non-governmental organization Transparency International, the research “clearly shows that the offshore company industry is playing the game of corruption and financial crime , while obstructing justice.” “This economic model cannot continue,” he added.
Shakira and Dominique Strauss-Kahn
Among the people brought to light by the investigation are the Colombian singer Shakira, the German model Claudia Seifer, the Indian cricket star Sahin Tendulkar.
The names of former British Prime Minister Tony Blair, who bought a property in London through a foreign company, and former French Prime Minister Dominique Strauss-Kahn are also on display.
The former director general of the International Monetary Fund has transferred several million dollars of his salary as a business consultant through a Moroccan company that is tax-free.
The former British Prime Minister for his part and his wife Cherry Blair acquired an office building in 2017 after buying a company in the Virgin Islands, to which he owned. The transaction allowed them to save about $ 400,000 in taxes, according to the ICIJ
Pakistani Prime Minister Imran Khan has been elected to fight corruption. T the name was in Panama Papers research.
According to the Pandora Papers survey, members of his family and government hold millions of dollars in offshore accounts. On Twitter, the Pakistani Prime Minister assured that he will “investigate” all the Pakistani citizens mentioned in the Pandora Papers
People of Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev – who is systematically accused of corruption – have carried out shady real estate transactions in the United Kingdom. Among them, the purchase of an office building in the name of Haider’s 11-year-old son, according to the BBC.
In most countries, these activities are not prosecuted. But in the case of leaders and politicians, the International Consortium confronts the anti-corruption rhetoric adopted by many of them and the fortunes they have hidden in tax havens.
