About Overseas Anti-Corruption
Unit (OACU)
What is the
OACU and why were you set up?
On 22 June 2006 Tony Blair announced new measures to tackle
international corruption, identified as one of the priorities at
the Gleneagles G8 summit.
The Prime Minister subsequently appointed Hilary Benn as
Ministerial champion for international corruption; a new role which
complemented his position as International Development
Secretary.
Speaking at the summit, the Prime Minister said:
'African leaders and the heads of the G8 countries were united in
identifying the importance of fighting corruption to help reduce
poverty in Africa and worldwide.
The UK has a responsibility to tackle money laundering and bribery
where it stems from our own shores, and to support developing
countries in fighting corruption.'
Following the G8 announcement the Government established a new
dedicated team for investigating international corruption,
including money laundering in the UK by corrupt politicians from
developing countries, and bribery by UK businesses overseas.
The new taskforce includes officers from the City
of London Police and the
Metropolitan Police
Service .
Gordon Brown has since appointed
John Hutton, Secretary of State for Business,
Enterprise and Regulatory Reform
(DBERR)
to continue Hilary Benn's work as anti-corruption champion and a
new cross-Whitehall anti-corruption action
plan was published in Spring 2008.
Detective Chief Superintendent Steve Wilmott, Head of City of
London Police Economic Crime Division and ACPO portfolio holder for
overseas corruption and bribery, said:
'Investigation of overseas corruption and bribery is a new and
crucial dimension of UK policing. Dedicated resources will help us
work in conjunction with the Serious Fraud Office and the
Metropolitan Police Service in tackling international corruption
will give us a global lead in this important fight.'
What is
Bribery and Corruption?
The UK Government defines Bribery as ‘ the receiving of or
offering/ giving of any benefit (in cash or kind) by or to any
public servant or office holder or to a director or employee of a
private company in order to induce that person to give improper
assistance in breach of their duty to the government or company
which has appointed them’
A common definition of Corruption is ‘the abuse of public or
private office for personal gain’ an offence that takes many
forms-from petty extortion to the amassing of personal wealth
through embezzlement or other dishonest means.
Who is in the OACU investigation team?
The unit consists of a Detective Superintendent, a
Detective Inspector, two Detective Sergeants
and eight Detective Constables - all experienced officers from
the City of London Police Economic Crime Department.
Additionally the unit works closely with Serious Fraud Office
(SFO), who in order to meet
the demands of investigating overseas corruption have formed a
small team working under the Deputy Director. This team is
responsible for maintaining the register of all allegations of
bribery or corruption of overseas officials by British persons and
companies. The SFO have the responsiblity for
assessing each allegation and if an investigation is merited,
allocating cases to the investigative agency best suited to deal
with it.
What Powers
do you have?
Can you
prosecute UK Companies and Nationals who are based/living
abroad?
Part 12 of the 2001 Act, which came into force on 14 February
2002, made 2 main changes to the law:
Section 108 put beyond doubt that the existing offences of bribery
and corruption apply to the bribery of foreign public office
holders, including foreign MPs, judges, ministers and 'agents' (as
defined by the Prevention of Corruption Act 1906). This
change mainly clarified existing law and no changes in procedure
resulted from it.
Section 109 was the significant change: it gave our courts
jurisdiction over certain offences of bribery and corruption when
they are committed overseas by UK nationals or by bodies
incorporated under UK law. The relevant offences are (a) the
common law offence of bribery; (b) the offences under section 2 of
the Public Bodies Corrupt Practices Act 1889; and (c) the first two
offences under section 1 of the Prevention of Corruption Act
1906.
How to
contact us?
-
Overseas Anti-Corruption Unit Reporting Line
+ (44) 020 7601 6969
This is a 24/7 confidential answer phone service which allows
the caller to report their suspicions either openly
or anonymously
Email:
OACU@cityoflondon.police.uk
Address:
Overseas Anti-Corruption Unit (OACU)
City of London Police
4th Floor, 21 New Street
London EC2M 4TP
-
City of London Police Fraud Desk
+ (44) 020 7601 6999
Email:
frauddesk@cityoflondon.police.uk
This is a monitored telephone line for the report of Fraud related
matters
(08.00 to 18.00hrs Monday to Friday)
-
CRIMESTOPPERS
0800 555 111
Website:
crimestoppers
If you wish to provide anonymous information about a
crime related topic
-
Urgent or emergency calls
Urgent calls should be made to City of London Police on 020 7601
2222 or in the case of an emergency dial 999
