Charges likely after mobile phone takeover probe

Charges are likely soon following an inquiry into whether illegal payments were made in the takeover of German mobile phone company Mannesmann by British rival Vodafone, a lawyer for a top union official who is under investigation said today.

Under investigation are Vodafone chief Chris Gent, Deutsche Bank executive Josef Ackermann and German IG Metall union chief Klaus Zwickel.

‘‘The intention to bring charges in fact exits, and it seems to be unshakable,’’ said Zwickel’s lawyer, Rainer Hamm.

Prosecutors began examining the takeover last year, focusing on Mannesmann chairman Klaus Esser’s decision to give up his bitter opposition to the hostile bid and about £42 million in compensation that was paid by Vodafone to Esser and other top Mannesmann officials.

Zwickel, along with Ackermann and Gent, sat on the Mannesmann supervisory board that approved the disputed payments.

Hamm rejected accusations against Zwickel as a ‘‘malicious distortion of the facts.’’

Esser has repeatedly denied any wrongdoing, arguing that the majority of Mannesmann shareholders favoured a takeover by the time he gave up the fight.