Corruption suspicions embarrass the army

Highly sensitive military operations carried out around the world have led to eight high-ranking officers appearing before a criminal court on Monday, September 9. They are accused of passive corruption and favoritism and are appearing in plain clothes at the hearing. Between 2012 and 2016, the army had to call on private companies specializing in air transport to deploy its troops in the Central African Republic, Mali, Iraq and Afghanistan.

The Chiefs of Staff are said to have favored one of them, the company ICS, created by a former military man, with higher rates. It charged €86,000 per hour of flight compared to €36,000 for its competitors. As early as 2016, the Court of Auditors pointed out anomalies in these contracts. The proximity between the military and the subcontractor was revealed by six years of investigation conducted by the national financial prosecutor’s office. The military personnel in question, who face up to ten years in prison, deny any favoritism.