Bribes, kidnappings and suspected murders • Reveals: 400 events reported • “Completely unique”
Right now, one of Sweden’s largest trials is underway in Stockholm District Court.
Two of the company Lundin Oil’s former managers, Ian Lundin and Alexandre Schneiter, are, against his denial, charged with assisting with gross international law. This applies to events in Sudan at the turn of the millennium, in connection with oil exploration.
An important part of the evidence is testimonies from people who lived and worked in the area. Martin Madut was a radio operator at Lundin Oil in Sudan at this time. When Swedish prosecutors began to investigate the suspected international law crime, Martin received questions about becoming a witness on the side of the Lund intakes. He said no, and instead came in contact with the prosecutor’s side.
Then he was subjected to threats, he says. A former governor in the country, with connections to Lundinbolaget, called.
– He said to me: “Martin, the decision that you and others have made will be costly for the company – this is not good for you.”
When Martin stood up, the tone was sharpened.
– “Okay,” he said to me, “just wait, and you’ll see”.
“Absolutely unique”
Martin is just one of many who states that they have been threatened, and who put it in connection with the ongoing Lund entry into Sweden.
Cold facts have been given access to a report compiled by a network that works to protect the witnesses. It describes contact attempts, offers of bribes, threats, kidnappings, serious violence and suspected murders. The events have been reported on an ongoing basis by the witnesses themselves or their relatives. In total, there are almost 400 registered incidents between 2014 and 2024 against some 40 people-witnesses and their relatives. The threats are still ongoing.
Percy Bratt is a plaintiff for several of the vulnerable witnesses and has for a long time worried about their security.
– I have never been involved in a criminal case where the plaintiff has been exposed to this type of threat, pressure and violence – it is completely unique, he says.
“They came to attack me”
Martin Madut today lives hidden in a neighboring country to South Sudan. He says that armed men have come home to him.
– They came to attack me, I ran to my neighbor who heard me screaming and helped me, I couldn’t return to my home until the morning.
He is convinced that the events can be linked to the case in Sweden.
– They do not want people to testify in court.
Lundinbolaget has decided that they would have something to do with unauthorized testimony and write in a comment on Kalla facts that they have always performed their work in accordance with the highest professional and ethical standards, both during the oil exploration in Sudan and during all the preparation of the defense work.
On Thursday, Kalla facts “Lundinfallet – silent all witnesses” publish on TV4 Play. There, those who are behind the threats and violence are examined against the witnesses. The program can also be seen at 8 pm in TV4.