By The Sentry
London and Washington, DC – A new investigation by The Sentry has uncovered significant concerns over the involvement of South African businessman Errol Gregor in a multibillion-dollar oil pipeline project between Mozambique and Zimbabwe.
Gregor, previously linked to an alleged $45 million fraud scandal in Ghana, is now leading a plan to build a second oil pipeline connecting the Mozambican port of Beira to Harare.
“The involvement of a figure like Gregor in such a major government project should give pause,” said Nick Donovan, Senior Investigator at The Sentry
“This case highlights the need for more transparency, rigorous oversight, and active international anti-corruption efforts when it comes to infrastructure development involving countries plagued by predatory business operators and entrenched kleptocracy.
“The fact that a UK bank and South African pension funds may have inadvertently supported a possible multimillion-dollar bribery scheme heightens the urgency.
“This should be a wake-up call for more aggressive due diligence and, where appropriate, hard-hitting accountability,” added Donovan.
Gregor’s history includes suspicious payments authorized during a 2016 bid to control a vital oil facility connected to the Tema Oil Refinery in Ghana.
According to The Sentry’s report, Gregor, through his former company Mining Oil and Gas Services (MOGS), funneled millions to various third parties via Edwin Obiri, a Ghanaian deal broker, raising red flags for potential bribery and corruption.
The report further alleges that some funds may have reached high-ranking political figures, including within Ghana’s National Democratic Congress opposition party.