By Steve James
NEW YORK (Reuters) - The head of Newmont Mining Corp. (NEM.N: Quote, Profile, Research, Stock Buzz) on Tuesday criticized an appeal by Indonesian prosecutors against the acquittal of an executive of the U.S. gold mining company in a criminal pollution case.
"From my standpoint it is just outrageous that they would do this after the very definitive decision handed down from the judges," Chief Executive Wayne Murdy told the Reuters Global Mining and Steel Summit via telephone from Denver.
His reaction came a day after Indonesian prosecutors filed an appeal document in a bid to overturn the ruling clearing a local unit of Newmont in the high-profile pollution case.
On April 24, a court in the Indonesian city of Manado acquitted PT Newmont Minahasa Raya and its U.S. president, Richard Ness, of criminal charges of allegedly dumping of toxic waste into a bay near a gold mine in North Sulawesi.
Responding to a question from Reuters journalists about the case, Murdy said it cost Newmont "tens of millions of dollars" as well as bruising its reputation.
"We felt all along that the litigation was without merit and was bogus from the beginning. It took a long time, but we were very pleased with the decision."
He repeated that if the verdict had gone against the company, Newmont would have had to very seriously consider its investment in Indonesia.
Murdy said under Indonesian law an appeal against an acquittal was unheard of. "We find it incredible that they would do that. Clearly the prosecutors feel they had to do it." Continued...
© Thomson Reuters 2008. All rights reserved.
| Global Environment | Oct 06 - 8, 2008 | Energy |
| Autos II | Sep 30 - Oct 01, 2008 | Hotels/Casinos |
| Restructuring | Sep 22 - 26, 2008 | Financial Services/Exchanges |
| Autos | Sep 15 - 17, 2008 | Autos |
| Russia Investment | Sep 08 - 9, 2008 | Country Summits |
