Fear over Ivory Coast ruling on Trafigura waste pay-out

The case concerns chemical waste dumped in 2006 A court in Ivory Coast has ruled that $45m (£28m) due to 30,000 alleged victims of dumped waste should be distributed by a local activist. Claimants' lawyers expressed doubts about whether the activist, Claude Gohourou, would pass on the money. One lawyer said only his firm knew the identity of the claimants, and that he was worried false lists would be made. Mr Gohourou's association said fraud was more likely if the lawyers handled the money. The case concerns 500 tonnes of chemical waste brought to Ivory Coast by multi-national oil company Trafigura and dumped around Abidjan by a local contractor in 2006. Trafigura agreed last year to pay people who said they had been made ill by the waste. The company and the claimants' lawyers agreed that a link between the dumped waste and deaths had not been proved. The money is in addition to the nearly $200m that the company paid the Ivorian government in 2007. 'Depressing' The BBC's John James in Abidjan says supporters of Mr Gohourou cheered as Friday's ruling was read out. It overturns an earlier ruling that Mr Gohourou should not distribute the payments, and claimants' lawyers said they would appeal.... for more : http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/africa/8475362.stm