Abdulaziz Ibrahim Al-Ghadeer, Saudi Ambassador to Pakistan, and Pakistan's Interior Minister, Rehman Malik, hold talks in Islamabad, Tuesday. They discusses bilateral issues and matters of mutual interest. — SPA Muhammad Al-Enezi Okaz/Saudi Gazette DAMMAM — As Saudi Aramco is investigating the bribery case linked to Tyco, the company has revealed that the employee implicated in the case was fired in 2009. The sacking was ordered after it was proved that the employee had received bribes from the Spanish BulgicK Sat Co., a statement issued by Aramco Monday said. The statement also said the sacked employee was working in the capacity of a technical specialist and not a senior official nor an administrator. The company emphasized that it will continue revising the procedures of monitoring the commitment to the principles and regulations and its internal investigation in this case as well. It also referred to a number of issues “wrongly highlighted in the media.” Aramco maintained that it stopped all business with Tyco after reports of its involvement in the scam. Also, Aramco launched an internal investigation to find if they were more commercial malpractices by this company, its affiliates or other companies which have business relationship with Aramco. It found that the total value of the businesses made by Aramco and Tyco and its branches had reached $31million throughout the past 11 years in addition to $10 million which Aramco had spent on purchasing products from Tyco for the company's projects. It said these purchases were made through public bids in which many companies participated. In 2009, the statement said, Aramco carried out an investigation about internal irregularities which showed that an employee working in the capacity of a technical specialist committed violations contravening the principles of conflict of interests and work ethics manifested in receiving different bribes including bribes from the Spanish Bulgick Sat Company which is affiliated to Tyco International. In view of this Aramco immediately fired him and deprived him of the end-of-service benefits and placed him on Aramco blacklist. Apart from this, it stopped dealing with the companies affiliated with Tyco in addition to 17 companies involved in these bribes. The ban against these companies continues to be in force.
