Lawyer's return from Mongolia a Christmas joy
DETAINED Australian lawyer Sarah Armstrong last night flew into the arms of her family, more than two months after she was stopped from leaving Mongolia amid claims of corruption involving her company.
Ms Armstrong, 32, landed in Launceston to spend the rest of Christmas with her parents, Yvonne and Les, after travelling nearly 24 hours from the Mongolian capital, Ulan Bator.
She hurried through Sydney Airport yesterday refusing to comment to media. However, her mother said it was a wish come true for her daughter to be home.
"It's beautiful, absolutely beautiful," Mrs Armstrong said. "I think she now just wants time to chill out, to take her mind off things for a bit and have a rest.
"I very, very much doubt that she will be going back to Mongolia."
Ms Armstrong is the general counsel of SouthGobi Resources, a subsidiary of the giant Rio Tinto, which is facing allegations in Mongolia of potential corruption involving the former head of the nation's Mineral Resources Authority and claims of tax evasion.
Ms Armstrong, who signed off on most of SouthGobi's documents, was stopped from leaving Mongolia in October as she tried to board a flight to Hong Kong.
She was never charged but interrogated by Mongolian officials and while she has been cleared, the investigation into SouthGobi will remain in place.
In a statement to the Hong Kong Stock Exchange, SouthGobi said Mongolia's Independent Authority Against Corruption would maintain its investigation into "the divestment of certain SouthGobi licenses to third parties" and the "involvement and conduct of government officials" linked to the case.
ADDITIONAL REPORTING: MITCHELL NADIN
Ms Armstrong, 32, landed in Launceston to spend the rest of Christmas with her parents, Yvonne and Les, after travelling nearly 24 hours from the Mongolian capital, Ulan Bator.
She hurried through Sydney Airport yesterday refusing to comment to media. However, her mother said it was a wish come true for her daughter to be home.
"It's beautiful, absolutely beautiful," Mrs Armstrong said. "I think she now just wants time to chill out, to take her mind off things for a bit and have a rest.
"I very, very much doubt that she will be going back to Mongolia."
Ms Armstrong is the general counsel of SouthGobi Resources, a subsidiary of the giant Rio Tinto, which is facing allegations in Mongolia of potential corruption involving the former head of the nation's Mineral Resources Authority and claims of tax evasion.
Ms Armstrong, who signed off on most of SouthGobi's documents, was stopped from leaving Mongolia in October as she tried to board a flight to Hong Kong.
She was never charged but interrogated by Mongolian officials and while she has been cleared, the investigation into SouthGobi will remain in place.
In a statement to the Hong Kong Stock Exchange, SouthGobi said Mongolia's Independent Authority Against Corruption would maintain its investigation into "the divestment of certain SouthGobi licenses to third parties" and the "involvement and conduct of government officials" linked to the case.
ADDITIONAL REPORTING: MITCHELL NADIN
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