The Bahrain-based Gulf Daily News has finally got around toreporting the arrest of a businessman in Britain, in connection with a $6m bribery case involving Bahrain's government-controlled aluminium company, Alba.

The Gulf Daily News says the alleged recipient of the bribes "cannot be named for legal reasons". This may indeed be the legal position in Bahrain, but it only takes a few seconds of searching on the internet to find out who he is.

The man in question is Sheikh Isa bin Ali al-Khalifa, an adviser to Bahrain's prime minister (as well as being his cousin). At the time of his alleged crime he was chairman of Alba and the kingdom's oil minister.

The Financial Times has a detailed account of the case so far.

The man alleged to have paid the bribes is Jordanian-born Victor Dahdaleh, a wealthy London-based aluminium trader who has links with the British Labour party (here and here) and is also a governorof the London School of Economics.

An announcement posted on Dahdaleh's website last Monday said:

"Victor Dahdaleh today interrupted his busy scheduled business commitments to voluntarily attend an appointment at Bishopsgate police station. In accordance with agreed arrangements, he attended to face charges of bribery and offences under the Proceeds of Crime Act 2002. 

"A spokesman for Allen & Overy, Mr Dahdaleh's lawyers said: 'Mr Dahdaleh believes the investigation into his affairs was flawed and that he has done absolutely nothing wrong. He will be vigorously contesting these charges at every stage, confident in clearing his good name.'

"Mr Dahdaleh was released on police bail."

Posted by Brian Whitaker, 30 October 2011.