British American Tobacco (BAT) paid bribes to African officials, including Framework Convention on Tobacco Control (FCTC) members, to undermine anti-smoking measures, the BBC reported.

The accusations were aired on the BBC television programme Panorama and based on documents and recordings provided by Paul Hopkins, a former BAT employee. Hopkins reportedly worked for the company in Kenya for 13 years. BAT denied the accusations, saying the company does not tolerate corruption, the BBC said.
Among persons allegedly bribed were two current FCTC members from Burundi and the Comoros Islands, and a former representative from Ruanda, according to the BBC. The three men denied taking BAT bribes, the news service said. Hopkins intends to submit his evidence to the UK Serious Fraud Office, the BBC said.