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The purpose of this paper is to explore the law relating to European Union (EU) Anti-Money Laundering (AML) Directives and the effect of Brexit on money laundering regulation in the UK and the EU. The first part of the paper involves a review of AML Directives and how they are transposed into the UK. The question whether the fourth AML directive or other directives due to become law in the UK will be implemented or culled will largely depend on the relationship between the UK and the EU going forward. The UK will have the full autonomy in terms of making decisions as to which laws to implement or which laws to scrap or to cull, as it sees fit. The UK having relinquished its membership of the EU notwithstanding could still be bound by EU anti-money directives particularly if it chooses to remain in the EU single market. The UK could also forge alliances with EU member states and in which case it will be expected to apply the same EU market rules as its other EU counterparts. The fourth AML directive that was due to become law in all EU member countries in June 2017. This directive was introduced to streamline the third AML directive (2005/60/EC) largely with regard to beneficial ownership of nominee accounts and politically exposed persons (PEPs). The paper scoped current EU AML directives, and how they have been used in the fight against money laundering both in the UK and beyond. Brexit is likely to have far-reaching implications on many regulatory areas, including in prevention of money laundering and its predicate offences in the UK and the EU. The fourth AML directive was due to become law in the UK on 26 June 2017, and whether the UK Government will go ahead and implement it or bin remains to be seen.

The paper has evaluated the potential effect of BREXIT on EU AML Directives in the UK, drawing examples in non-EU countries. It articulates the raft of EU AML Directives to assess whether the fourth AML directive (which was due to become law in June 2017) will become law in the UK or be culled. It draws on experiences of non-EU countries like Switzerland and Norway, which despite not being members of the EU, have full access to the EU single market. The first part of the paper provides a review of AML Directives in Europe and how they are internalised into member countries. Data were evaluated often alluding to existing mechanisms for harnessing EU AML Directives in member countries. The last part of the paper proposes the measures that are ought to be done to minimise or forestall the threat of money laundering and its predicate offences in the post-Brexit regulatory environment.

The BREXIT has already unravelled markets both in the UK and in the EU with far-reaching implications on money laundering regulation in multiple ways. The paper has articulated the mechanisms for internalisation of EU AML directives in all Member countries and countries that want to exit the EU. It is now clear that, as the UK voted to relinquish its membership of the EU, it will not be under any obligations to apply EU AML regimes or any other EU laws for that matter. The findings of the paper were not conclusive, as the UK government has not yet triggered Article 50 of Treaty of Lisbon on the functioning of the EU. The fourth AML directive, which was due to become law in the UK on 26 June 2016, could still be adopted or culled depending on the model the UK decides to adopt in its relationship with the EU going forward. There is a possibility for the UK to remain a member of the EU single market and to retain some of the regulatory rules it has operated in relation to money laundering regulation and its predicate offences. It could adopt the Norway, Switzerland or the Canadian model, each of which will have different implications for the UK and the EU in terms of their varied AML obligations. It will be in the commercial interests of the UK Government to not cull the fourth AML directive (which was due to become law in June 2017) but to transpose it into law.

There were not so many papers written on the issue of Brexit in the context of this topic. It was therefore not possible to carry out a comparative review of Brexit and its effect on money laundering regulation in the UK, drawing on experiences of other countries that have exited.

Brexit is likely to have far-reaching implications on many regulatory areas, including prevention of money laundering and its predicate offences in the UK and the EU.

The Brexit has elicited debates and policy discussions on many regulatory issues and not the least money laundering counter-measures in the post-Brexit environment. Brexit will have far-reaching implications for markets, people and national governments both in the EU and beyond. It has already unravelled social and economic life both in the UK and in the EU. The significance of paper is that it could enhance future research studies on money laundering regulation within countries delinking from regional market initiatives to address attendant changes.

This paper proffers insights into the Brexit and its implication on AML regulation in the UK and the EU during and post-Brexit era. To curtail the social-economic effect of Brexit on financial markets regulation, the UK should remain a member of the European single market not only to minimise the potential of losing more ground and leverage as a financial capital of the world but also to protect financial markets tumbling downhill!

This paper aims to examine how central Banks (in the narrow purview of Bank of Uganda) exercise their supervisory mandate to foster an efficient sound business environment for banks to operate efficiently. The authors were motivated to write on the subject of bank supervision because of the closure of Crane Bank and putting it under administration in 2016. The closure of this bank generated a lot of controversies on both sides of the political divide and in the press. Initially, the popular view was that Crane bank was poorly supervised, and as a result, it was exploited by insiders to commit money laundering, fraud, insider dealing, just to mention but a few. This put Bank of Uganda (the Central Bank) in a negative spotlight for failure to provide the required oversight of this bank. In Uganda, the supervision of banks and other financial institutions is the responsibility of Bank of Uganda.

The authors adopted a qualitative research approach using secondary data sources, including books, journal papers and websites, and evaluating primary legislation but also empirical evidence both in Uganda and other jurisdictions. The secondary data was evaluated to draw comparative analyses of causes of banks failures in countries both in Africa, Europe, USA and others jurisdictions across the globe.

It would be onerous to charge central banks with the responsibility of preventing bank failures, even though they would are required to institute measures to prevent banks from collapsing and its ripple effects on the economy. Effective banking supervision is a core factor for the success of every bank, but it cannot single-handedly prevent a bank from collapsing. A well-supervised bank can also fail not necessarily because of inherent weaknesses within its banking supervision, but it could fail because of extraneous factors beyond the control of individual banks. For example, Lehman Brothers Ltd (a highly leveraged of broker dealers) collapsed due to factors beyond its control, the Northern Rock and Royal Bank of Scotland in the UK were nationalised by the British Government.

The limitation of the paper was that data on central banks and failed banks both in Uganda and other jurisdictions (the scope of the paper) was overwhelming, and it was daunting to sift through and analyse it in depth.

Banks play a fundamental role in the social-economic development of countries, and how they are regulated is significantly important for the stability of economies. They provide loans, guarantees and other financial products to businesses, and they are engines for economic growth and development.

Banks affect, people, societies, businesses, markets and governments. Therefore, this paper has wider implications for the foregoing constituencies.

The originality of the paper is that this paper is unique, draws experiences across jurisdictions and evaluates in the narrow purview of banking regulation in Uganda.

This paper aims to explore the role of public and private international law and how they are used differently in regulation of global markets. Data were sourced from both primary and secondary materials – journal papers, court decisions, textbooks and international legal instruments to gain insights into the role of law and the varied contexts in which it is used in regulation of markets. In an ordinary sense of the word, law sets operational limits to protect normative values and practices in a state – trade, peace, security, just to mention but a few. However, law cannot be confined to deterring undesired behaviours or to settling disputes, but more importantly, a good law should prevent disputes from happening. Law dictates the way of life of a society and its efficacy often depends on how well it is used to order the proper functioning of the system. International law is the set of rules which govern and foster effective relations of states. The paper explores the chasm between public and private international law, with a view to demonstrate how they are used differently in regulation of markets. Public and private international law encompass norms evolved by multilateral treaties, customs, judicial decisions, model laws and soft law instruments by different oversight bodies governing states and other stakeholders in their relationship with each other. These norms/rules create a platform for interstate cooperation on varied regulatory issues of shared interests. While treaties create a uniform framework of rules in all signatory states, their implementation often depends on individual states willingness to transpose them into national law. Owing to the inherent challenges of public international law (interstate practice), it has become imperative for markets to use rules of private international law. While public regulates the relationship of states and their emanation, private international law helps to bridge gaps in the mainstream international legal systems of states and in so doing enhances their co-existence on overlapping regulatory issues. The engendered trans-national norms will over time generate a positive impact on local sustainability and co-existence of different regulatory domains.

This paper uses cases studies and experiences of countries to demonstrate the complimentary relationship of public and private international law and how they work in tandem in international legal practice. The paper has also used the varied experiences of states to demonstrate how public and private international law interact in regulation of global markets. Data were sourced from both primary and secondary sources – journal papers, court decisions, textbooks and international legal instruments – to gain insights into the law and the varied contexts in regulation of markets. The case law and experience of states alluded to undertaking this research reflect the complimentary relationship of states for markets to operate effectively.

The findings of the paper comport with the hypothesis that markets cannot effectively work unless they are pursued within the framework of rules of public and private international law. The paper has alluded to the experience in national jurisdictions and global to highlight the chasm between different regulatory domains for markets to operate effectively. The paper articulates important practical issues relating to public and private international law in regulations of markets.

The practical implication of the paper is that it underscores significant legal issues relating to regulation of markets drawing examples within national jurisdictions and globally.

The paper has social implications because markets affect people, jobs and social life in varied ways. It addresses pertinent issues related to the complementarity of public and private international law and how they are manifested in national jurisdictions.

The paper is original because it nuances the interrelationship of public and private international law, teasing out their interaction in regulation of global markets in a distinctive way.

The purpose of the paper is to examine the law and how it has been utilised in fostering proper functioning of global markets within member countries and globally. The term “law” in this context refers to international law, whose primary function is to regulate activities of sovereign States and organisations created by a group of States. The Statute of the International Court of Justice 1907, which has been ratified as a treaty by all UN nations, provides the most authoritative definition of the sources of international law to date (Schachter, 1991). Under Article 38 of Statute of the International Court of Justice 1907, there four main sources of international law such as treaties, international customs, general principles of law recognised by civilised nations and judicial decisions of International Court of Justice and other internationally accepted tribunals. They are the materials and processes out of which the rules and principles regulating the international community are developed and sustained. The term “global Village” was coined by a Canadian scholar by the name of Marshall McLuhan to describe the contraction of the globe into a village because of advances in internet communication technology and increased consciousness and enhanced transport systems (McLuhan, 2003). The current “global village” is manifested by the growing interconnectedness of economies which has enhanced the ability of states to interact economically, politically and socially. It operates in a way that seems to defy common definitions such as delimitations of national borders and states. The global system has created shared synergies such as free movement of workers, capital, good and services. However, it has created varied challenges for individual states given that challenges in one part of the globe can easily navigate into the system to infest other countries including those that have nothing to do with its causes. This dichotomy is highlighted by the debt crisis in the Eurozone member countries which has been simmering since 2009 but has recently bubbled to the surface by the crisis in Greece. The challenges in Greece as well in other deeply integrated countries have not been confined within individual countries or regions but have had a domino effect farther afield due to the growing interconnectedness of economies. There are dualities in the global system manifested by the fact that developed countries are endowed with the means, and, therefore, they have requisite capacity to harness the law and markets easily as opposed to their counterparts in least developed countries (LDCs), where this leverage is non-existent. Less-developed economies are so described because they lack requisite capacity and cannot compete as efficiently as their counterpart in developed countries. This has translated into ambivalence and half-heartedness in some states attitude to embrace market discipline wholeheartedly. The foregoing challenges have been exacerbated by the tenuous legal systems, lack of robust infrastructure, oversight institutions and corruption, especially in the LDCs cohort. The paper utilises empirical data to evaluate the role of law in fostering the relationship between states and markets. In other words, are the rules governing global markets effectively working to ensure a harmonious co-existence of markets, states and various stakeholders? Can the recent global crises such as the debt crisis in Greece mean that the global village is in quandary? Is there any village that is devoid of challenges or they are part and parcel of life? The paper utilises empirical examples in both developed and developing countries to evaluate the current state of the contemporary global village in search for answers to the foregoing nagging questions.

The paper adopts a selective review approach in analysing the most appropriate materials for inclusion in its analysis. It is an empirical study based on the most recent global developments such as the global financial crisis, the debt crisis in European Union (EU) to gains insights into the interplay of the relationship between law and markets and the occasional disharmony between these two regulatory domains.

The issues examined in this paper provide significant insights into the dynamics of the global village, law and markets. It has delineated that for markets to work effectively, the state needs to remain in the loop and to keep an arm’s length relationship with the market because it will have to come in to pick the pieces when things go wrong. The law cannot be pushed to the sidelines because it will have to provide the instruments for states and markets to operate efficiently within their respective regulatory domain. There is no state, including North Korea (not as open as other economies in Asia), which can close its door entirely to markets. Experience has demonstrated that law is more than rules which govern societies but a way of life such that a society is as developed as is its legal system. The State needs to use the leverage of the law and to take centre stage for markets to remain viable and relevant. Recent crises such as the debt crisis in Greece or the global financial crisis before provide lessons for proponents of the global market system to learn so that it can proportionately distribute benefits and not challenges.

The global market system has imposed varied challenges on states at the scale never envisaged before. Some of the theoretical premises relating to the paper were based on secondary data sources and were evaluated based on a small sample of cases. The author, therefore, extrapolated that the law seems to have been relegated to the sidelines to not interfere with markets. The paper has evaluated the current global market system in the context of contemporary challenges in Europe and in other regions; it would have been better to explore examples from other regions. It is evident that the state and the market are two sides of the same coin – they are embedded in each other, and their relationship complimentary and will have to co-exist. They need to work in tandem because the market needs the state and the state needs the market. Meanwhile, both the state and the market need the law as an equalizer to ensure they are regulated according to engendered rules. It appears that the disharmony between the state and the market is because of the fusion of law and politics which often results in overlapping interests. The recent global financial crisis and the frantic efforts of EU government to bail out debt distressed countries like Greece have implied that governments will need to maintain an arms-length relationship with markets. When the state lets its hands off, literally speaking, in the author’s view, markets will veer off course.

The global system has created shared synergies such as free movement of workers, capital, good and services. However, it has created varied challenges for individual states given that challenges in one part of the globe can easily navigate into the system to infest other countries including those that have nothing to do with its causes. States and stakeholders will need to carefully evaluate the impact of global regulatory initiatives to make sure that in adopting them, they are not debased or undermined by those initiatives.

For markets to work properly, the state must remain in the loop and keep an arms-length relationship with the market because it will have to come in to pick the pieces when things go wrong. The law cannot be pushed to the sidelines because it will have to provide the instruments for states and markets to operate efficiently within their respective regulatory domain. There is no state, including North Korea (not as open as other economies in Asia), which can close its door entirely to markets. Experience has demonstrated that law is more than rules which govern societies but a way of life such that a society is as developed as is its legal system. The State needs to use the leverage of the law in providing effective regulatory oversight of markets both domestically and globally.

The paper was written on the basis of recent global crises such as the debt crisis in Greece, Europe, which were evaluated in the narrow context and are objectives of the paper.

Regulators have a duty to enforce anti-money laundering (AML) and countering financing of terrorism regulation. However, in doing so, they should not to be overzealous especially in carrying out investigations into suspicious money laundering transactions. This does not mean that oversight agencies should not carry out the required investigations with due diligence. This study aims to propose that banks cannot be allowed to operate in a lawless environment; however, there is a need ensure that businesses are able to operate with minimal regulatory interference.

Data was collected from primary and secondary sources such as Uganda’s Anti-Money laundering Act 2013 (amended 2017), Patriot Act 2001, Proceeds of Crime Act 2000 International legal instruments, case law, books, websites, journal papers, policy documents and scholarly debates and evaluated to foster the objectives of the paper accordingly. The paper has also been enriched by empirical experiences of countries in Europe, Africa and within countries on money-laundering regulation and its intricacies. There was a wealth of online data sources and in print, which were reviewed and internalised to foster the objectives for writing the book.

Regulation of businesses against money laundering and financing of terrorism imposes a heavy cost burden on poorer countries and should be funded by developed economies for some countries to easily operate desired International AML standards. It also needs to be noted that banks cannot be allowed to operate in a lawless business environment, which makes money laundering an international and national security issue.

The thesis of this paper was drawn from the author’s presentation to security agencies in Kampala in August 2019. In his presentation, the author opined that investigations into money-laundering offences should be triggered when a financial institution forms suspicions of potential money-laundering offences to have been committed. Some of the questions he sought to answer during the presentation was whether sharing information on “accountable persons or the regulated sector” in Uganda’s AML 2013 with newspapers before investigations are concluded does not amount to tipping off presumed money-laundering culprits? How should investigations be conducted?

The paper aims to examine the circumstances in which directors who fail to perform their duties and responsibilities with due diligence can be sanctioned and to evaluate whether the recent changes for reform both in the UK and European Union (EU) are adequate to deter directors from misfeasance or to cure defects in the law. The purpose of this paper is to articulate regulatory regimes for disqualification of corporate directors and the proposed changes to tighten loose ends in this area of commercial law. This paper articulates the duties and responsibilities of Corporate Officer and the varied context in which they are manifested in the UK. Owing to the onerous nature of corporate directorship, directors cannot passively sit in boardrooms or on their committees, but they need to demonstrate that they are hands on to get things done as expected. The first part of the paper articulates the current regimes on director’s disqualification so that it is used as a basis to examine the efficacy of the proposed changes for reform both on this area in the UK and Europe. The second part of the paper examines the proposed reform for change both in UK and in Europe and their efficacy to plug in law and practice. This area of corporate law is increasingly regulated by a number of agencies to ensure that directors perform their duties and responsibilities with due diligence.

The paper is structured in two parts whereby the first part examines the framework for disqualification of corporate directors and related issues in the UK. The second part articulates recent changes in the law on director’s disqualification with a view to evaluate whether these changes are robust enough to enhance the position of shareholders to ensure the company is well-managed for their interests or whether overregulation is inimical to the company by hindering directors from executing their corporate responsibilities with a measure of discretion.

The findings reflect that regulatory reforms should be evolved and implemented to strike a balance in ensuring that regulatory regimes are implemented not to penalise corporate directors unnecessarily but also to ensure that rules are respected. The paper urges caution because overregulation can inhibit corporate director from taking necessary risks (to be more guarded) to secure their positions.

The paper was written on the basis of secondary and primary data sources often also alluding to empirical cases studies. It would have been better to carry out structured interviews to corroborate some of the findings of the paper.

Corporate governance is an onerous task, and thus, it requires corporate officers to exercise due diligence in execution of their duties and responsibilities. Getting the issue of corporate governance wrong often has ramifications for the company and respective corporate officers. These ramifications include not least penalising individual directors by disqualification from holding corporate directorship or the company being wound up altogether.

Corporation plays an important role in the society such as creating employment opportunities, markets for goods and services, generating revenues to governments and the list goes on. Therefore, the way they are managed has important implications for societies and governments.

Even though the paper was written on the basis of primary and secondary data sources, it was done in a distinctive manner to foster the objective for writing it.

The paper aims to explore a multiplicity of corporate governance issues in the narrow purview of different corporate governance systems and procedures across jurisdictional contexts. It shows a correlation between proper implementation of rules and procedures in a corporation for determining the success or failure of corporations. The paper also posits that however robust internal corporate rules and procedures are, the recent experiences have demonstrated that the fate of corporation could also be dictated beyond the remit of individual corporations by extraneous factors such as globalisation. This was vividly underscored by the recent global financial crisis (2008-2010) and its devastating consequences on well-managed corporation worldwide. The author has structured the paper into two parts – part one and part two. Part one is designed to explore the dynamics of corporate governance in fostering the success or failure of corporations. In part two, the paper examines the interplay between rules and practices in the context of two corporate governance examples –MTN in Uganda and the defunct BCCI (1991) in the UK in corporate success or failure. The former underscores a correlation between effective corporate governance mechanisms in fostering corporate success, whereas the latter underscores how the practice of overlooking corporate rules and procedures could trigger catastrophic consequences for corporations. The paper also tries to tease out how poor corporate governance could be exploited for criminal purposes. This was underscored in the case of the BCCI. The last part underscores how two distinctive corporate governance approaches in MTN (Uganda) and defunct BCCI could proffer a lesson for change of modern corporate governance systems and procedures.

The paper was written by way of a comparative analysis of different corporate governance approaches in different jurisdictions and their different implications for the success or failure of corporations. It has examined recent corporate scandals with a view to delineate how lax governance procedures and lack robust oversight of corporation could have played in precipitating conditions for criminal exploitation.

The findings of the paper clearly demonstrate a close correlation between good corporate governance and corporate success. It also correlates how lack of robust corporate governance procedures could provide an environment for exploitation of corporation by executives who may have criminal inclination. The lax corporate environment can also be exploited by criminals to perpetuate other forms of criminal activities such as money laundering and fraud.

The paper was largely undertaken by the analysis of secondary data sources. Because there were no interviews carried to corroborate the foregoing data, it is possible that some of it could have been biased. Undertaking interviews would have mitigated the potential for bias and infused the paper with first-hand experiences from different stakeholders

The paper underscores how two distinctive corporate governance approaches gleaned in the context of MTN (Uganda) and defunct BCCI (1991) could proffer different approaches for a change in modern corporate governance systems and procedures.

The paper has demonstrated that lack of proper corporate governance procedures and oversight could provide a recipe for criminal exploitation to perpetuate crimes such as money laundering in a corporation. This could have far-reaching implications not only for individuals corporations but also local communities in form of job losses), governments and markets.

The originality of this paper is manifested that there are no comparable studies undertaken in its purview. It is, therefore, a must-read for both academic and policy purposes.

The purpose of this paper is to articulate the law relating to syndicated loan agreements and what legal experts and parties need to safeguard against inherent pitfalls in its usage and practice. The research design of this paper has two strands: an examination of generic issues relating syndicated loan agreements and the process; and the mechanisms for transferring proprietary rights and interests should parties want to do so.

The paper was written on the basis of evaluating primary and secondary data sources to gain insights into commercial experiences of harnessing syndicated loan facilities as an alternative form of raising finance for development projects. It has examined case law which reflects the law and practice of syndicated loan markets both in common and civil law jurisdictions. Particular attention has been paid to the credibility of source materials and its relevance to usage and practice of syndicated loan agreements. The core element of this methodology has been an evaluation of generic issues which underpin syndicated loan agreements, analysis of academic literature and evaluation of cases and policy documents. The paper has drawn examples in both common and civil jurisdictions to gain insights into the law which governs syndicated loan markets and its practical application. There has been an uptake in syndicated loan markets not only in United Kingdom but also globally. While there has been a growing body of literature on syndicated loan markets, mechanisms for transferring proprietary rights and interests of contractual parties have not been given proportionate attention. The paper addresses a gap in the law of syndicated loan markets and the varied ways in which they are harnessed in international commercial practice. It addresses existing gaps in the law and practice of syndicated loans, not only in the UK but also in other jurisdictions where examples have been drawn. The research design of this paper has two strands: an examination of generic issues relating loans and the process in which they are constituted as financial products; and the mechanisms for transferring proprietary rights and interests.

The findings underscore the fact that much as syndicated loans offer huge advantages to commercial parties, there are also intricacies which parties need to keep in mind and guard against. Like in other forms of commercial agreements, parties to a syndicated loan agreement have the power to nominate the governing law not necessarily from jurisdictions where they do business but as they may see fit. In practice, effective contractual terms in syndicated loans are to be applied slightly differently to other form of commercial agreements in English contract law. For example, representation and warranties are grouped together and constitute statements by the borrower, which the lender considers should be true at the inception of the loan agreement. As a syndicated loan involves the participation of many banks (obviously some foreign banks), there is the potential for conflict of laws. As such, arranging a syndicated loan should be governed by the relating to international commercial contracts to address the challenge posed by conflict of laws. This is essential to ensure proprietary transfer of rights in the asset are properly constituted and effective. The loan should be carefully structured to reflect important technical issues which relate to duties and obligation of contractual parties.

This was largely a theoretical paper undertaken on the basis of evaluating primary and secondary data sources, some of which were not able to corroborate. It would have been better to corroborate some of the data sources used with financial institutions (which specialise in syndicate loans and related products) to mitigate the potential for bias the data used were generated.

It is important that legal practitioners and policy markers have access to requisite data on different types of loan markets not only in the UK but also other jurisdictions. One of the most important implication is that unlike bond markets (which are sought in response to an uptake in market risks), the foregoing environment tends to negatively correlate in syndicated loan markets. Lending institutions such as banks tend to be cautious when there are instabilities in the market as demonstrated in the aftermath of the recent global financial crisis (2010-2014). There is a converse relationship between loan markets and syndicated loans, which is explained by the fact that the higher the risks, the more cautious lenders (financial institutions) tend to be to safeguard against uncertainties of ending in an environment which is not conducive for business. Bonds on the other hand are sought as security by credit markets against inherent risks especially in times of economic uncertainties. This is why in the aftermath of the recent global financial crisis, banks were anxious and unwilling to lend not only to each other but also to small business for fear and to curtail potential market risks. It needs to be noted that just like in other forms of international commercial agreements, parties in syndicated loan agreements have autonomy to nominate the governing law of the agreement, not necessarily from jurisdictions where parties do business. Where parties have not nominated the governing law clause of syndicated loan contracts, rules of private international law such as characteristic performance of the contract will apply.

There is a growing body of literature on syndicated loan markets, but one wonders why mechanisms for transferring proprietary rights and interests of contractual parties have not been written about as much. It is an important area but has somehow been overlooked by scholars on this subject. If the borrowers’ fails to keep up their repayments (default), it will have an adverse on loan markets and the economic stability which will in turn affects businesses, people and national governments.

The paper was written on the basis of evaluating primary and secondary data sources to gain insights into commercial experiences of harnessing syndicated loan facilities as an alternative form of raising finance for development projects. It has examined case law which reflects the law and practice of syndicated loan markets both in common and civil law jurisdictions. Particular attention has been paid to the credibility of source materials and its relevance to usage and practice of syndicated loan agreements. The core element of this methodology has been an evaluation of generic issues which underpin syndicated loan agreements, analysis of academic literature and evaluation of cases and policy documents. The paper has drawn examples in both common and civil jurisdictions to gain insights into the law which governs syndicated loan markets and its practical application.

The purpose of this paper is to articulate the mandate of the International Monetary Fund (IMF) not least in promoting a sound legal regulatory environment for markets to operate globally and its inherent challenges. While acknowledging the plausible work done by the IMF in supporting countries to achieve their macro-economic stability, the paper articulates some of its shortcomings as a global institution. It is evident that the post-war climate in which the World Bank and IMF were created has drastically changed – which presupposes that these institutions now need to reposition themselves to reflect on contemporary global challenges accordingly. The author has argued in the past that a robust regulatory system should be devised taking into account the dynamic challenges in the market environment but also to prevent them from happening again.

The paper has utilized empirical evidence to evaluate the mandate of the IMF in addressing its dynamic challenges such as the global financial and debt crises in Europe and the USA and prevention of financial sector abuse globally. The IMF is one of the Bretton Woods Institutions charged with the oversight responsibility to enforce policies and enable countries to manage their macro-economic challenges efficiently.

The findings demonstrate that the IMF is as relevant and important as it was when it was created in 1945. However, there is a need for intrinsic and structural changes within this institution to continue discharging its mandate in a changed global regulatory landscape. The IMF is still crucial in fostering a fundamental stabilization function to fragile global economies in areas of financial and technical assistance, and developing requisite legal and supervisory infrastructure within fledging member countries.

The paper was written by analysis of both theoretical and empirical data largely based on secondary data sources. It would have been better to first present the findings in an international conference to solicit wide views and internalize them accordingly.

While acknowledging the plausible work done by the IMF and its counterpart the World Bank in facilitating global financial markets regulation and prevention of financial sector abuse, as oversight institutions, they need to constantly review their mandate to respond robustly to their dynamic challenges such as the global and debt crises and financial sector abuse. Oversight institutions need to constantly review and adapt their mandate accordingly, if they are to discharge their varied responsibilities efficiently. They cannot stand still in the face of challenges because they will be superseded and kept at a back foot.

Markets and states are embedded in each other, and the way they are regulated is of a significant importance to varied stakeholders and people.

This paper is one of its kind, is unique in its character and evaluates embedded issues using empirical evidence in a way not done in its context before. Secondary data sources have been evaluated to achieve a thoughtful analysis of the objectives of the paper.

The purpose of this paper is to explore dynamic issues relating to Ponzi and other fraudulent investment schemes to demonstrate how scammers convince victims of investment opportunities that turn out to be nothing but fraudulent. Specifically, it explores the nature of Ponzi, Pyramid, Advance fees scams and the mechanisms used to defraud unsuspecting victims of their money. The risks associated with Ponzi schemes can be gleaned in the fraud case of Bernie Madoff (1998) who had been running a Ponzi scheme in the USA for 20 years and reaping investors of their returns without ever discovering it until the business collapsed. The other notorious investment scams include “the Nigerian letter frauds” which combine the threat of impersonation fraud with a variation of an advance fee scheme in which a letter is mailed to offer recipients the “opportunity” to share in a percentage of millions of dollars that the author – a self-proclaimed government official – is trying to transfer out of his country. This article assesses the possibility of using anti-money laundering regulatory tools such as a “risk based approach” and “Know Your Customer” to protect victims of fraudulent investment schemes.

The paper was written by analysis of primary and secondary data and by utilising newspaper reports on different types of fraudulent investment schemes and the context in which they normally happen in practice. It has also utilized case studies and relevant examples to demonstrate different typologies of fraudulent schemes and the possibility of using anti-money laundering regulatory tools to regulate them.

The findings suggest that many people who fall victims of fraudulent investment schemes such as Ponzi and advance fee fraud are not gullible but lack knowledge of their sophistication and how they operate to defraud unsuspecting victims of their savings.

The paper was largely a library-based research, and there were no interviews carried out to corroborate some of the data used in writing it. This minimises inherent bias in the use of secondary data sources to undertake a study.

The practical implication of the paper is to highlight the inherent risks in Ponzi and other fictitious investment schemes that are often cleverly conjured to exploit ignorance of the public and defraud them of their savings. It demonstrates that while financial institutions can use their regulatory tools such as KYC to safeguard financial markets from criminal exploitation, people should be vigilant to avoid falling victims of criminal exploitation and lose their savings.

With globalisation, the market is awash with different types of investment opportunities, but people need to keep in mind that it has also created opportunities for criminal exploitation. Some opportunities that are being offered such as advance fee and other schemes are cleverly devised to exploit ignorance of the public. Therefore, this paper highlights the pitfalls which potential investors need to bear in mind when deciding on where to invest and how to invest their money.

Research on Ponzi schemes, advance fee fraud and misuse of letters of credit do not seem to have received proportionate scholarly attention as other forms of financial crimes. This paper, therefore, addresses a need in the market on many issues it relates.