Senior MAN Trucks executive resigns amid investigation

Senior MAN Trucks executive resigns amid investigation Berlin - A senior executive of MAN Trucks in Germany has resigned, as an investigation continues into alleged kickbacks during sales of buses and trucks, MAN AG announced in Munich on Sunday.

Der Spiegel, the news magazine, meanwhile said Munich prosecutors were focussing the inquiry on purchases of municipal bus fleets in various Mediterranean nations including Italy, Greece and Turkey.

Bus salesmen were suspected of bribing public officials there to win bus orders and outflank other manufacturers.

Peter Erichreineke, chief marketing officer of the group's truck unit, has requested temporary leave "to avoid possible harm to the company as a result of the investigation of him now under way," the MAN group said.

His responsibilities are to be taken over by Anton Weinmann, the chief executive of the unit, MAN Nutzfahrzeuge AG.

Prosecutors say the kickbacks, estimated to total 13 million euros (17 million dollars) outside Germany and 1 million euros within Germany, were passed from 2002 onwards to friends and relations of purchasing officials who chose MAN vehicles.

The bribes were disguised as payments for consultancy services and the like, and paid via banks in low-regulation nations such as the British Virgin Islands. The inquiry began after German tax inspectors noticed suspicious payments on the truck company's books. (dpa)