MILLIONAIRE businessmen have told police how British mercenaries invited them to bankroll the alleged “timeshare coup” to seize power in oil-rich Equatorial Guinea.
It was given this code name because the fundraisers made it clear that there was room for only about 15 investors.
Some of those who claim that they were approached by the coup organisers have described to investigators in South Africa how at lavish drinks parties they were promised that the select group who agreed to write a cheque for about £100,000 each would share a £15 million payout within weeks.
The names of all those allegedly approached by the Old Etonian Simon Mann and his associates are included on a computer disk that has been seen by detectives in Pretoria. Police have nicknamed it “The Wonga List”.
A senior security source in South Africa told The Times: “The appeal for investors was that in exchange for their money they would be given documents showing how they were investing in legitimate business enterprises.
Advertisement
“It include fish farms, mining, security contracts and aviation deals with absolutely no mention of a coup,” the source said. These men were warned that it was first come, first served, and, as well as the £1 million immediate payout, they would have first refusal on future oil concessions in Equatorial Guinea.”
Many of the millionaires asked to back this alleged “timeshare coup” are understood to have British citizenship or own expensive homes in Britain.
One businessman who has a home in Cape Town and claims that he was approached told The Times: “It was a casual conversation at a drinks party around a swimming pool in January this year about ‘a security project’ at an African mine. Looking back it was all very casual and vague but the hook was the quick profit.”
The British-born entrepreneur, who has given a statement to South African investigators but asked not to be named, said: “If you showed interest then you were invited to another meeting and given more details. Once Equatorial Guinea was mentioned I declined and heard no more about it.”
Lawyers representing the Government in Equatorial Guinea say that they have studied documents which identify many of the leading investors and the ringleaders behind the alleged plot.
Advertisement
This includes the detailed written statement that Mr Mann, 51, gave the authorities in Zimbabwe after he was arrested at Harare airport in March along with 69 men who, police claim, were part of the private army trying to overthrow President Teodoro Obiang. Mr Mann, a former SAS officer and scion of the Watney brewing empire, could be sentenced later today by magistrates in Harare. If convicted for trying to buy weapons in Zimbabwe for the botched coup, Mr Mann could face life imprisonment.
His family claim that his confession was beaten out of him.
Mr Mann is a friend and neighbour of Sir Mark Thatcher in Constantia, a wealthy Cape Town suburb where a number of the other alleged investors in the “timeshare coup” also have homes.
One businessman who admits being approached by Mr Mann is Gianfranco Cicogna, a South African telecoms tycoon who has a home in West London. He was once engaged to the television presenter Tania Bryer and is well known on the London social scene.
Mr Cicogna has been quoted as saying that when he was approached by Mr Mann this year: “I did not really appreciate the grandeur of their ideas.” He says that he was asked to invest $200,000 (£112,000) in a project in Equatorial Guinea but insists that he handed over no money.
Advertisement
Asked if he knew that there were plans to stage a coup, he said: “Not really. I don’t think it crossed my mind.” Mr Cicogna said that there was a discussion with Mr Mann about a further meeting but it never took place.
Police are also studying records of meetings that allegedly took place at one of South Africa’s most expensive hotels, the Sandton Towers, outside Johannesburg. Many of these meetings were hosted by Mr Mann, described by friends as softly spoken and “charm personified”.
Among those said to have met Mr Mann at the hotel is a South Africa-based businessmen, David Tremain, a frequent visitor to Britain. Mr Tremain says that he includes Sir Mark among his social acquaintances. At his meeting with Mr Mann this year, he says, the pair discussed “a mining venture”. He did not say which country this was in.
Equatorial Guinea’s legal team said some of the alleged investors are likely to be added to the four businessmen being sued in the High Court in London for compensation for their supposed role in the alleged coup plot. The President is seeking millions in compensation on the rarely cited legal ground of civil conspiracy.
A senior official with the Equatorial Guinea Government said: “The names of David Tremain and Gianfranco Cicogna are being considered as part of this ongoing action.” Asked if Sir Mark could also be added, the official said: “That is not impossible. We will wait to see what happens to him in the South African courts.”
Advertisement
Sir Mark has denied having any links with the coup plot.
He is alleged to have discussed a deal with Mr Mann to buy an air ambulance. South African investigators claim that the helicopter was to be used in the military takeover.
In a letter to his wife, Mr Mann asked her to contact Sir Mark, whom he called “Scratcher”, to ask for his help in trying to secure his release from prison in Harare.
What will concern those who did finance the alleged “timeshare coup” is reports from South Africa last night that the man who allegedly collected the money for Mr Mann is helping police with the names on “The Wonga List”. Some investors are understood to have code names.
The South African security source told The Times: “We do expect to make more arrests. Some we are investigating are very wealthy indeed.”