THE LEGAL action being brought by Beverley Securities (BSI) against Eurocopter alleging that it failed to pay commissions on defence equipment supplied to the apartheid regime in South Africa, is to have a public hearing on 12 September in Paris (Flight International, 1-6 May).
BSI claims that Aerospatiale's helicopter division, now merged within Eurocopter, supplied 50 new AS.332S2 Super Pumas to Armscor. The helicopters, later renamed Oryx, were supplied in kit form via OGMA in Portugal to avoid the United Nations embargo. BSI says that it set up this channel but has not received any com- mission. It is now claiming 10-15% of the estimated $3 billion contract.
BSI also alleges that Armscor destroyed computer records relating to BSI's activities in South Africa in a "top-secret operation code-named Massada". BSI is backing up its claims with witnesses, including former directors from Armscor and OGMA, as well as Gen Brochado Miranda, Portugal's Air Force Chief of Staff at the time.
Source: Flight International
