Three employees of staffing firm Swift Technical Solutions have been acquitted of corruption charges, relating to the tax affairs of a Nigerian subsidiary, by London’s Southwark Crown Court.

The charges, brought by the UK’s Serious Fraud Office (SFO), were dismissed after the jury was unable to reach a verdict of one count against the third defendant and was discharged.

The SFO indicated in court that it did not intend to seek a retrial on that count and the verdict of not guilty was entered.

Swift's principal business is the supply of manpower to the global oil and gas industry. By 2010 Swift had business interests in a number of countries including Nigeria, where it no longer operates.

The SFO alleged that the three defendants; Bharat Sodha, Nidhi Vyas, and Trevor Bruce, made corrupt payments totalling £180,000 to several officials in Nigeria, with the intent to secure favourable treatment for Swift subsidiaries over sums owed to the Nigerian tax authority.

The first count on the indictment reflected alleged payments of the Nigerian equivalent of £13,088.37 and £109,263.39 made on 14 February 2008 and 5 May 2008 to Harvest Corporate, a Nigerian company.

The second count reflected an alleged payment of the Nigerian equivalent of £61,865.46 made on 28 October 2009 to WTS Adebiyi and Associates, a Nigerian company controlled by Olaleye Adebiyi, a tax advisor and a director of Swift's Nigerian company.

Mr Vyas was acquitted of one count of conspiracy to make corrupt payments on the direction of the judge at the close of the prosecution case and was acquitted by the jury of another similar count.

Trevor Bruce was acquitted of one count of conspiracy to make corrupt payments and the jury was unable to reach a verdict on the other.

The prosecution case was that these defendants conspired to make corrupt payments to officials of two Nigerian Boards of Internal Revenue, one in Rivers State and the other in Lagos State. 

Swift co-operated with the SFO, providing documents and making staff available for interview.  It was not charged with any offence.