Nepal charges dozens and says corruption inflated an airport’s costs by $74 million
The Abuse of Power Investigation Commission on Sunday filed a lawsuit against 55 people and China CAMC Engineering Company Limited, accusing them of inflating construction costs by more than $74 million, in one of the biggest cases in the Himalayan nation. It is not yet clear when the trial will begin.
Two officials of the Chinese company were named in the charges filed at the Special Court in Kathmandu, which hears corruption cases related to government transactions.
The tender agreed with the government in 2012 was set at $169.6 million, but Nepali officials “in collusion with the Chinese company” increased that amount to just over $244 million, the commission said.
The airport in the resort city of Pokhara, 200 kilometers (125 miles) west of Kathmandu, was built with a loan from China Exim Bank. It was expected to attract foreign tourists to this picturesque city, which is the starting point of many trekking routes in Nepal. However, according to local reports, it has not been able to attract international flights since 2023, when operations began.
Cases in Nepal can take months, if not years, to resolve.
Corruption is quite common in the South Asian country. Massive youth-led demonstrations against corruption in September, which left dozens dead, forced the government to resign and an interim administration was installed.
General elections are expected to be held in March.
