Attorney General seeks full disclosure on 33 bauxite shipments amid royalty and money laundering concerns
ATTORNEY General Gabriel Suri has written to the Director of Mines requesting the full disclosure of documents relating to the controversial 33 shipments of bauxite within 14 days.
AG Suri in a letter dated 1st June 2026, wrote to the Mines Director requesting full disclosures of the following documents;
- The relevant Export Permits issued by your office in relation to the 33 shipments.
- The relevant Consignment Permits issued by your office relating to the 33 shipments.
- Any MOU or Agreement made between your office, Mines Board or the Minister relating to the 33 shipments, whether with APID or BMSI.
- Refinery Assay Reports relating to the 33 shipments.
- Customs export documents relating to the 33 shipments.
- All correspondences, both letter and email, relating to the 33 shipments. This includes any advice given to you by the Attorney Generals’ Chambers or a law firm.
- The relevant General or Specific Authority issued by the Central Bank of SI relating to the 33 shipments.
AG Suri has also requested a written explanation demanding why the office continue to issue Export Permits and Consignment Permits although royalties were not paid within 90 days as required by section 46(1) of the Mines and Minerals Act.
The AG made reference to section 46(1) that;
“Royalties shall be paid within ninety days after the end of each month on minerals obtained in that month.”
He said the documents are necessary also to be presented to the SI Financial Intelligence Unit (SIFIU) for their review and assessment.
This is to consider whether the offence of money laundering has occurred in relation to the 33 shipments, and whether SIG can initiate proceeding for recovery of proceeds of crime.
The AG in the letter also intends to instruct the SIFIU to request and collect financial records from the CBSI, Commercial Banks and the Ministry of Finance and Treasury and from overseas.
The AG emphasised this is something that should have been done by the past governments.
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