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S.Bayartsogt, B.Byambasaikhan, and B.Ariunsan to be detained for 30 days over Oyu Tolgoi deal allegations

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S.Bayartsogt, B.Byambasaikhan, and B.Ariunsan to be detained for 30 days over Oyu Tolgoi deal allegations

The Independent Authority Against Corruption (IAAC) filed for a warrant of arrest for former Finance Minister S.Bayartsogt and two other individuals, including former CEO of Erdenes Mongol B.Byambasaikhan, for possible abuse of power in the negotiations of the 2009 Oyu Tolgoi Investment Agreement. In the request to the prosecutor’s office, the IAAC stated that it was necessary to arrest the three individuals as the agency believes there is sufficient evidence to back the allegations of abuse of power. Former finance minister S.Bayartsogt has been the main subject of the investigation, as he is known to be one of the architects of the 2009 Oyu Tolgoi agreement. B.Byambasaikhan is a former CEO of the state-owned Erdenes Mongol, the primary company delegated to manage the government’s shares in Mongolia’s world-class mining assets, including Oyu Tolgoi. He currently is the chairman of the Business Council of Mongolia and was recently appointed as a non-executive independent member of Erdene Resource Development. While B.Byambasaikhan was not CEO of Erdenes Mongol in 2009, he is thought to be connected to the case for his involvement in the 2015 Underground Development Plan signed with Turquoise Hill Resources and Rio Tinto, dubbed the Dubai deal. B.Ariunsan worked as the head of the General Department of Taxation from 2014 to 2015 and the IAAC has not elaborated on his exact involvement in the case. The IAAC alleges that the three individuals used their authority and position to provide the other parties to the agreement an advantage in negotiations. For this reason, the IAAC has requested that the three individuals be arrested and held in detention for indefinite amount of time. The prosecutor’s office transferred the arrest warrant to a court and a judge ruled for the three individuals to be detained for at least 30 days. Former Prime Minister Ch.Saikhanbileg is also wanted for questioning for his involvement in the case but is reportedly out of the country. The IAAC has said it has requested his presence and will question him when he arrives in Mongolia. In a separate case involving the Erdenet Mining Corporation (EMC) and the 109 million USD loan taken out using the mine as collateral, the IAAC has detained N.Amarbat. Having worked as the Head of the Sales Department of the EMC, the IAAC has arrested him on suspicion of approving the paperwork to use the EMC as collateral.

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