French anti-terrorism prosecutors have opened an investigation into allegations of potential complicity in war crimes made against Groupe Castel in the Central African Republic (CAR), a source close to the matter told Reuters on Friday.
A local unit of the French drinks conglomerate is suspected of having made payments to local militia, the source said.
A spokesman for Groupe Castel said the company was fully cooperating with French authorities on the matter and that an internal investigation following the first accusations had shown no evidence of wrongdoing.The investigation follows a report pubished by The Sentry last year which said the group's subsidiaries had deals to provide armed militia UPC with cash and vehicle support in order to secure regional market position.
The United Nations says the UPC has killed, tortured, raped, and displaced civilians, and engaged in arms trafficking, illegal taxation and warfare. The source said the probe that opened in Paris did not formally target the group or executives, but had been opened "against X", which allows prosecutors to investigate in all directions.
Groupe Castel, headquartered in the Bordeaux region, is one the world's biggest wine and beverages conglomerates, selling some of Africa's most popular beers. French business magazine Challenges estimates the Castel family's fortune at around 14 billion euros .French authorities, supported by human rights groups, are stepping up action against corporate wrongdoing linked to conflicts abroad.
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