EA/2023/0538 - [2024] UKFTT 001054 (GRC)

On 29 June 2023, the Appellant contacted the SFO by email, requesting information in the following terms:

“Please provide the following information relating to the costs of the Serious Fraud Office’s Unaoil investigation (meaning the investigation in its broadest sense into Unaoil and associated individuals, whether charged or not charged):

a)

The total aggregate cost of the entire investigation;

b)

The total aggregate cost broken down by:

i)

Year;

ii)

Investigation costs, trial costs, and appeal costs;

iii)

SFO’s own costs, covering others’ costs, and compensation (or similar payments)”.

The SFO responded on 27 July 2023 confirming that it held the Requested Information. The SFO withheld the Requested Information on the basis that the exemptions in the Relevant Sections were engaged and that the Public Interest Test favoured maintaining the exemptions.

On 15 August 2023, the Appellant complained to the Commissioner, pursuant to section 50, about the SFO’s response to the Request. Subsequently, the Commissioner therefore issued the Decision Notice.