BRIBES ACCEPTED
ARMY OFFICER SUM OF £BOOO INVOLVED MIDDLE EAST COMMAND (10 a.m.) LONDON, Dec. 5. Lieut-Colonel Lewis Pedretti, the wartime deputy-director of the Hiring and Disposals Branch. G.H.Q.. Middle East,. pleaded guilty before a courtmartial to four charges of receiving bribes totalling £BOOO from people seeking Government contracts, says Reuter's correspondent in Cairo. The prosecution produced a statement alleged to have been made by Pedretti in which he said: “I came 4o the conclusion that the accepting of gifts was common in Egypt.” One charge specified that £SOOO sterling was received for granting a contract for disposing of Helwan camp. Another stated that Pedretti had received £2500 from a contractor for the demolition of pill boxes near Alexandria.
Pedretti’s statement said: ' “ I realise the foolishness of throwing away the results of seven years’ work in the army. I am anxious to make restitution.” The finding will be promulgated.
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Bibliographic details
Gisborne Herald, Volume LXXIII, Issue 22197, 6 December 1946, Page 5
Word Count
149BRIBES ACCEPTED Gisborne Herald, Volume LXXIII, Issue 22197, 6 December 1946, Page 5
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