Whistleblower

by Terry Morgan

CHAPTER 62

  "I'll drive down to see you in Brighton, Mr Harding." Cole Harding had phoned Jonathan to fix a meeting for the following week, but Jonathan was far too impatient to wait for that.

  The offices of Fitzgerald, Waterman & Harding were just a short walk from Brighton sea front.. Once inside, Harding's own office was a typical English lawyer's room - walls of law books behind glass, an old, polished-oak table, four leather seated matching chairs and Harding's oak desk piled with files alongside a computer. What marked it out as different were the photographs that lined the walls - pictures of African families and a framed print of an old colonial style building fronted by palm trees.

  Cole Harding noticed Jonathan looking at it.

  "Fourah Bay College, Freetown," he said. "Founded in 1827 by the Church Missionary Society."

  "I had no idea there was such an old College in Sierra Leone," admitted Jonathan.

  "Even during World War two, the British colonial government took it over because of its strategic position."

  Jonathan noticed his voice and English accent. It was uncannily similar to Jim's. "You were educated there?" he asked, although he already knew the answer because he'd checked.

  "No, no," Harding replied. "I came to England with my parents when I was seven. I grew up here, but still have extended family back there - family that seems to grow larger every year. I'm forever discovering lost cousins." He laughed and sat back.

  "So," he went on. "When I mentioned Cherry Investments and Sulima Construction, it clearly rang a bell with you, Mr Walton?"

  Jonathan sensed just a touch of suspicion and quite right, too. They did not know each other. Harding needed to reassure himself and check Jonathan out. But Harding had seemed an impatient, no nonsense sort of man on the 'phone so Jonathan's strategy, decided on the drive down, was to jump straight in.

  "I don't know either of them," he said. "I was asked to help with a funding bid by someone who claimed to represent them - a Nigerian. But I've been in this business a while, Mr Harding, and like to think I can smell a scam or an attempt at fraud a mile away."

  "But you said they are a client."

  "Mr Harding. I would like to ask that you treat this conversation with the utmost confidentiality."

  Cole Harding raised his eyebrows. "As always," he said, toying with an expensive looking Mount Blanc fountain pen.

  "And I've checked you out," said Jonathan unsmiling, but pleased to be saying that to a lawyer. "I have read about your attempts to stamp out fraud - especially that emanating from West Africa."

  "A futile task, Mr Johnson. Nevertheless, I trust the checks met with your approval."

  "It is why I asked that we meet far sooner than you suggested. I cannot wait even a week."

  "I see. Desperate times, indeed."

  Jonathan then sat with Cole Harding through several calls to his desk phone. Each time, he said "I'm running late, Carole. Please apologise and ask that they call back. I'm happy to stay later tonight to accommodate them if it is convenient."

  At midday, it was Cole Harding who wound up their discussion.

  "So, Jonathan, let me summarise if I may. You and your three colleagues, two of whom are mysterious and nameless and the other being ex independent member of parliament Jim Smith whom I remember only too well - admirable gentleman - they are pursuing the private investigations you have already instigated. Jim himself is temporarily back in UK but not willing for that fact to be publicised. Correct?"

  Jonathan nodded.

  "The Sierra Leone bid you have submitted with the connivance of the Nigerian man called Jacob Johnson is, you are certain, an attempt at the fraudulent transfer of millions of Euros of economic development aid funds to unknown hands - although we have some names - linked to a chain of companies going by the name Cherry - Cherry Investments, Cherry Picking etcetera."

  Jonathan nodded again "And this Sierra Leone funding bid is just an example."

  "Of course. But you are using this bid, knowing it is an attempt at fraud - a test case to try and pinpoint how it's done, where it's done and who does it.

  "Exactly.."

  "You already suspect an organised criminal group that operates globally with international connections that include certain high ranking bureaucrats who influence decision making processes. As a result they have access to resources that can be, and have been, used to stifle attempts to uncover it - as poor Mr Smith found to his cost. Give him my best wishes, by the way. I wish there were more like him. Is my summary accurate?"

  Jonathan smiled. "Yes."

  Cole Harding sat back. "Fine, then what I will do now is the following. As a priority I will speak to my cousin who first brought this to my attention - Suleiman runs a road haulage company in Freetown. I will ask him to delve a little deeper with the additional information you have now provided. In due course, but only if necessary, I can call on the Inspector General of Police to act - he is a good friend. In the meantime we will do nothing other than to immediately alert Suleiman. We will wait until the time is right, enough evidence is available and you and your small team are ready and in need of additional support. Is that how you understand it?"

  "Perfectly," said Jonathan, "And we're hoping the FBI and Interpol might also be there when the time is right, Cole."