Bebawi, 73, is standing trial on five charges including fraud, corruption of foreign officials and laundering proceeds of crime. What remained in the accounts after the kickbacks were paid was split between Bebawi and Riadh Ben Aissa, a former colleague, the Crown alleges, with Bebawi pocketing $26 million. "In its simplest expression, this case is about getting lucrative contracts for SNC-Lavalin, regardless of the methods," prosecutor Anne-Marie Manoukian told jurors. Manoukian noted the Crown's star witness, former SNC executive Ben Aissa, testified he was told as much. "Mr. Ben Aissa was told: 'Do what you have to do, pay who you have to pay, and the rest is ours to share.

Source: Libya Today December 09, 2019 18:40 UTC