MTN sticks to guns that Turkcell allegations must be heard in Iran

MTN asserts that South African courts lack jurisdiction over Turkcell’s bribery allegations. | GRAPHIC Se-Anne Rall

- NICOLA MAWSON

AFRICA'S largest mobile network operator, MTN, is convinced that South African courts have no jurisdiction to hear a matter involving alleged corruption in Iran, and that the issue should be dealt with in the Middle Eastern country.

This follows a landmark judgement earlier this month in the Supreme Court of Appeal (SCA) that made it possible for mobile rival and accuser Turkcell to present evidence that it believes shows that MTN committed acts of bribery and corruption to overturn the award of an Iranian GSM licence to Turkcell.

The SCA ruling set a precedent in that it was the first time a South African court had been asked to determine whether allegations of misconduct that apparently took place in another country could be heard locally.