Consensus chairman Vincent Tchenguiz has vowed to continue to pursue the SFO for damages after the body admitted failings in search warrants it obtained prior to his arrest.
In a statement released last night Tchenguiz said: “I have consistently and repeatedly informed the SFO that they have got their facts wrong.
“While I am delighted that they have asked for the warrants to be quashed, I am astonished that the SFO intends to continue its investigation, given that they have conceded that each and every one of the three allegations against me is false.
“Their continuing actions are clearly a fishing expedition.
“It beggars belief that the SFO have taken so long to realise the error of their ways and I do not regard their actions today as being their own initiative – their hand has been forced by our legal actions.
“While I am glad that they have conceded to pay the significant legal costs incurred – the damage their actions have caused, both financially and to my reputation, are far greater.
“I intend to pursue them through the civil courts for damages.
“Furthermore, while they now admit that their information, which they swore in court before a Judge, was inaccurate, I require to know where they obtained this false information, who provided it to them and why they accepted it at face value.
“They completely failed in their due diligence – there was no foundation to the three allegations or to their case – and they failed to check the facts.
“They have issued no apology and have taken since August to reach the conclusion that their case was fundamentally flawed – and now they try to bury, what for them is bad news, just as the holiday season starts.
“And, they say that having got it wrong once they now want to have another go!
“Such behaviour by public officials is outrageous.”
Bridget.oconnell@estatesgazette.com
