Into evidence. U.S. Government Exhibit No. 1510 and Exhibit No. 1504. Photos: U.S. Department of Justice
The United Nations worked closely with the U.S. Justice Department during the investigations of the activities of Chi Ping Patrick Ho and Sam Kutesa Uganda’s foreign affairs minister, a spokesperson has confirmed to The Black Star News.
The FBI investigations led to the arrest in November 2017 of Patrick Ho, who headed U.N.-affiliated CEFC NGO, an organization funded by multi-billion dollar CEFC China Energy. The U.S. says Ho’s CEFC NGO was used as a cover to promote his illegal activities including the business interests of CEFC China Energy.
On Wednesday, Ho was convicted of bribing Uganda’s dictator Gen. Yoweri Museveni $500,000 in cash and Kutesa $500,000 as well, through a wire transfer May 6, 2016 to a Stanbic Bank account in Uganda. Manhattan U.S. Attorney Geoffrey S. Berman on Wedesday said, “Patrick Ho now stands convicted of scheming to pay millions in bribes to foreign leaders in Chad and Uganda, all as part of his efforts to corruptly secure unfair business advantages for a multibillion-dollar Chinese energy company.”
Ho also offered to provide both Kutesa and Museveni with additional corrupt benefits by “partnering” with them in future joint ventures in Uganda, which is where the real money was going to come from for the pair.
Ho also offered to provide both Kutesa and Museveni with additional corrupt benefits by “partnering” with them in future joint ventures in Uganda, which is where the real money was going to come from for the pair.
On Friday, The Black Star News contacted the U.N. for comment about Ho’s conviction for bribing Museveni and Kutesa, who served as President of the U.N. General Assembly from 2014 to 2015. The Black Star News also inquired about the $30 million Kutesa’s private company, Entebbe Handling Services (ENHAS) billed the U.N. between 2007 and 2013. Kutesa won the contract illegally by not disclosing his ownership of ENHAS; as minister of foreign affairs and owner of the company the U.N. would not have awarded ENHAS the contract. “Yes, we can say that the UN cooperated extensively by providing more than 1,000 pages of documents and making UN personnel available,” said Farhan Haq, spokesperson when contacted by The Black Star News.
Ho was also convicted for offering a cash bribe of $2 million to President Idriss Deby of Chad in December, 2014. The cash to Chad, which Deby reportedly rejected, was carried on a private jet. The cash payment to Museveni was also flown aboard a Gulf Stream 550 jet that carried a CEFC China Energy delegation that traveled to Uganda for the dictator’s May 12, 2016 swearing-in.
During Ho’s trial in U.S. federal court in Manhattan, prosecutors presented voluminous evidence to the jury, including CEFC’s financial records and e-mail messages exchanged between Ho and: Sam Kutesa; Isaac Kutesa, the foreign minister’s son; Edith Kutesa, his wife; Arthur Kafeero, his chief of staff when he was PGA; and, Ho’s communications with other U.N. officials.
