VOA标准英语 Nigerian Government Vows to Punish Bribe Takers

The Nigerian government said it is ready to prosecute¹ those implicated² in a multi-million-dollar bribery⁴ case involving a subsidiary of the U.S.-based Halliburton Corporation.

Information Minister Dora Akunyili told reporters the Nigerian government has written to the U.S. government requesting the names of Nigerian officials involved in the Halliburton bribery case.

The U.S. Justice Department said Kellogg Brown & Root LLC (KBR), a former unit of Halliburton, pleaded guilty in February to bribery charges in Houston and agreed to pay fines of more than $400 million.

Minister Akunyili said the government was ready to initiate⁵ criminal action against those implicated in the scheme. She also said the names of Nigerians involved would be released to the public.

"As soon as the requested documents are received from the U.S. government, [the] Nigerian government will immediately release the identities of those involved in the scandal and further details of the bribery case to Nigerians," the minister said.

Senior Nigerian officials reportedly accepted about $180 million in bribes⁶ from oil services companies to approve a $6 billion contract to build the Nigerian liquefied natural-gas facilities in southeast Nigeria, between 1995 and 2004.

Some Nigerian newspapers have reported that three former heads of state in Africa's top oil producer were among the bribe³ takers.

President Umaru Yar'Adua took power nearly two years ago pledging zero tolerance⁷ for corruption⁸ in what is seen as one of the most world's most tainted⁹ countries. But campaigners have often questioned his commitment to fighting graft¹⁰.

Many Nigerians are looking to the Halliburton case as an indication of how seriously the government intends to pursue the anti-corruption campaign.

1 prosecute   

vt.告发；进行；vi.告发，起诉，作检察官

参考例句：

• I am trying my best to prosecute my duties.我正在尽力履行我的职责。
• Is there enough evidence to prosecute?有没有起诉的足够证据？

2 implicated   

adj.密切关联的；牵涉其中的

参考例句：

• These groups are very strongly implicated in the violence. 这些组织与这起暴力事件有着极大的关联。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• Having the stolen goods in his possession implicated him in the robbery. 因藏有赃物使他涉有偷盗的嫌疑。 来自《现代汉英综合大词典》

3 bribe   

n.贿赂；v.向…行贿，买通

参考例句：

• He tried to bribe the policeman not to arrest him.他企图贿赂警察不逮捕他。
• He resolutely refused their bribe.他坚决不接受他们的贿赂。

4 bribery   

n.贿络行为，行贿，受贿

参考例句：

• FBI found out that the senator committed bribery.美国联邦调查局查明这个参议员有受贿行为。
• He was charged with bribery.他被指控受贿。

5 initiate   

vt.开始，创始，发动；启蒙，使入门；引入

参考例句：

• A language teacher should initiate pupils into the elements of grammar.语言老师应该把基本语法教给学生。
• They wanted to initiate a discussion on economics.他们想启动一次经济学讨论。

6 bribes   

n.贿赂( bribe的名词复数 )；向（某人）行贿，贿赂v.贿赂( bribe的第三人称单数 )；向（某人）行贿，贿赂

参考例句：

• It was alleged that he had taken bribes while in office. 他被指称在任时收受贿赂。
• corrupt officials accepting bribes 接受贿赂的贪官污吏

7 tolerance   

n.宽容；容忍，忍受；耐药力；公差

参考例句：

• Tolerance is one of his strengths.宽容是他的一个优点。
• Human beings have limited tolerance of noise.人类对噪音的忍耐力有限。

8 corruption   

n.腐败，堕落，贪污

参考例句：

• The people asked the government to hit out against corruption and theft.人民要求政府严惩贪污盗窃。
• The old man reviled against corruption.那老人痛斥了贪污舞弊。

9 tainted   

adj.腐坏的；污染的；沾污的；感染的v.使变质( taint的过去式和过去分词 )；使污染；败坏；被污染，腐坏，败坏

参考例句：

• The administration was tainted with scandal. 丑闻使得政府声名狼藉。
• He was considered tainted by association with the corrupt regime. 他因与腐败政府有牵连而名誉受损。 来自《简明英汉词典》

10 graft   

n.移植，嫁接，艰苦工作，贪污；v.移植，嫁接

参考例句：

• I am having a skin graft on my arm soon.我马上就要接受手臂的皮肤移植手术。
• The minister became rich through graft.这位部长透过贪污受贿致富。