The public prosecution department wants to see former SBM Offshore workers prosecuted for their role in the recent bribery scandal, the department’s chief Marianne Blos told the NRC newspaper.

Yesterday the department announced that the marine services company had agreed to pay $240m in an out of court settlement on bribery and corruption charges. The deal is made up of a $40m fine and a penalty of $200m for financial gain and focuses on corrupt deals made in Brazil, Angola and Equatorial Guinea.

Because the workers involved are not in the Netherlands, they will have to be pursued through the local courts in the countries concerned.

Blos said the Netherlands is in talks with various countries to ensure this is ‘organised’, the paper reported. Less than a handful of former workers is involved but their number does include ‘people whom SBM Offshore has taken disciplinary measures against’.

The prosecution of staff coupled with the record fine would send out a ‘very powerful signal’, Blos said.