Business Case Studies & Business Publications

What Can a Mosquito Do to an Elephant? (...

Werhane, Patricia ...

Case

What Can a Mosquito Do to an Elephant? (A)

Werhane, Patricia H.; Painter-Moreland, Mollie; Mead, Jenny

E-0290 | Published August 17, 2006 | 15 pages Case

Collection: Darden School of Business

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In 1999, Lesotho, a tiny African country about the size of Maryland or Belgium, faced a huge undertaking. The Lesotho Highlands Water Project (LHWP), one of the world's biggest engineering and infrastructure projects. Slated to benefit the country in many ways, it was beset by allegations of corruption. At the center of this scandal was Lesotho official Masupha Ephraim Sole, accused of taking bribes during the first years of the project from numerous companies involved in the construction. In addition to prosecuting Sole, Lesotho was considering the almost unthinkable: mounting a criminal prosecution against the multinational companies--in a Lesotho court--that allegedly had bribed Sole. This would, in every way, be a Sisyphean task. This is a four-case series, labeled A through D, UVA-E-0290 through UVA-E-0293.