Investigations open into alleged corruption of Ghanaian officials by Daimler Chrysler

Investigations have opened into allegations that auto giant Daimler Chrysler bribed Ghanaian officials and a commercial buyer in Poland.

Prosecutors say they are investigating former employees of the auto giant and other people for suspected corruption in the carmaker's business in Ghana.

The prosecutors in Stuttgart suspect that bribes totaling about 125,000 dollars were paid in connection with vehicle sales to the two countries. Investigators are examining suspected payments in year 2003 to a recipient in Ghana who may be a government official and in the summer of 2004 to an employee of an unidentified Polish company.

The auto giant is under investigations by the US Securities and Exchange Commission and the Department of Justice over whether it violated U.S. anti-bribery laws.