UNI PROBE FINDS ‘NO EVIDENCE OF CRIMINALITY’
ATWO-YEAR police probe into allegations of bribery relating to the procurement process for the £200m Wellness and Life Science Village project in Carmarthenshire has found no evidence of “criminal offending”.
An investigation by Tarian, the regional organised crime unit for southern Wales, was launched in November 2018 after a complaint by Swansea University into how the project in Llanelli, which was looking to secure £40m backing from the City Deal for the Swansea Bay City Region, had been procured. The project has since been succeeded by a new scheme with a different business plan.
As part of the Tarian investigation eight addresses were searched in Swansea, Carmarthenshire and Kent.
Police have now confirmed that after a “detailed and complex investigation” into allegations of offences under the Bribery Act and abuse of position, following a complaint by Swansea University, there was “no evidence of criminal offending”.
A statement added: “The investigation found the correct procurement guidelines were followed and overseen by specialist law firms. Independent procurement specialists supported the enquiry and provided expert advice which confirmed this position.
“A number of people were interviewed by officers and there was extensive examination of a significant number of seized documents and electronic equipment.
“A file of evidence had been provided to the Crown Prosecution Service, which has determined that it is not in the public interest to proceed.”
Detective Chief Superintendent Steve Corcoran, head of protective services Wales, said: “Once the complaint was referred to Tarian it was right and proper that a comprehensive investigation into the allegations was carried out.
“The results of the investigation were then submitted to the Crown Prosecution Service for its consideration. The CPS has determined that it is not in the public interest to proceed any further.
“This protracted enquiry has been complex and detailed, taking a considerable amount of time due to the complexities and quantity of material involved and we appreciate the patience of all involved in this investigation.”
In 2019 Swansea University sacked a number of senior academics, including its former vice-chancellor, Richard B Davies, and dean of its Management School, Marc Clement, for gross misconduct, following an eight-month disciplinary process which included an independent investigation overseen by an employment law QC.
It is understood that the dismissals related to the university’s involvement in the former wellness village project.
Appeals lodged were subsequently rejected.
A number of the former employees, including Prof Clement, have taken cases to an employment tribunal.
In a statement the university said: “Swansea University dismissed three employees, including the vice-chancellor, Richard Davies, and dean of the School of Management, Marc Clement, in 2019 after an extensive investigation into suspected gross misconduct.
“An investigation into an irregular termination payment to the former registrar, Raymond Ciborowski, led to evidence indicating Mr Ciborowski and several other employees had significant undeclared interests and stood to make financial gains in a personal capacity from the university’s participation in commercial projects with which they were involved as university employees.
“These gains included salaries from future appointments and equity potentially worth millions of pounds.
“The evidence suggested that there were material and serious interests that should have been declared under the university’s policies and procedures.
“Marc Clement, Steve Poole and Bjorn Rodde, who were employed at the university’s Business School, were suspended and a leading employment law barrister, with no previous connection to the university, was appointed as investigation manager to conduct a disciplinary investigation.
“Following her investigation, which included multiple interviews with the suspended individuals and the review of a substantial number of documents, the investigation manager delivered a report to the university in May 2019 recommending that there was evidence of gross misconduct and that the allegations against all the individuals be considered by a disciplinary panel.
“In July 2019, the disciplinary panel, having reviewed the evidence and conducted interviews and receiving representations from the individuals, summarily dismissed Marc Clement and Steve Poole for gross misconduct. Richard Davies (former vice-chancellor) was also suspended in connection with the investigation.
“He was summarily dismissed for gross misconduct and gross negligence in July 2019. Richard Davies was not a suspect in the criminal investigation undertaken by the police.
“All three individuals appealed and those appeals were rejected by the university. These three individuals, along with Bjorn Rodde, who was suspended but resigned prior to the outcome of the disciplinary process, have lodged employment tribunal claims.
“The criminal investigation and the university’s internal disciplinary processes are and have always been entirely separate.
“The dismissals were for serious breaches of the university’s procedures, and not for a finding of criminal conduct and the decision by the CPS has no bearing on this whatsoever.
“The university cannot comment any further as there are ongoing proceedings.”