Madagascan President Andry Rajoelina's chief of staff on Friday pleaded not guilty in a British court after being charged with bribery offences.
Romy Andrianarisoa, 46, denied seeking a bribe from a British mining company to secure licences to operate in Madagascar, the National Crime Agency (NCA) told AFP.
A new hearing has been scheduled for September 15, it added.
Andrianarisoa's co-defendant, French national Philippe Tabuteau, 54, did not enter a plea to a charge of bribery.
'Upfront charges'
The NCA announced on August 14 that the top presidential aide and an "associate" had been charged after a "fast-paced" police investigation.
They had been arrested in the Victoria area of central London a few days earlier.
A mining firm, Gemfields, "raised concerns" with the agency, which investigates serious, organised and trans-national crime.
They allegedly sought about £225,000 ($285,000) in "upfront charges", as well as a five-percent equity stake in a proposed licence deal, the agency added.
Gemfields mines and markets coloured gemstones, specialising in emeralds mined from Zambia and rubies from Mozambique, according to its website.
Suspended immediately
It does not currently operate any mines in Madagascar but owns Madagascar-based Oriental Mining, which does reportedly hold licences to mine there.
Andrianarisoa was suspended with immediate effect after her arrest, the Madagascan presidency said at the time.
Rajoelina, 49, this week announced he would run for re-election in November.
He first took power in 2009 on the back of a coup that ousted former president Marc Ravalomanana. After not contesting in the 2013 election due to international pressure, he was voted back into office in 2018.
