Angola’s ex-president’s son denounces political trial

The son of former Angolan President Jose Eduardo dos Santos denounced a political settling of accounts, and denied any attempt to embezzle him on Wednesday the third day of his trial in a Luanda court.

« If I were not the son of the former President of the Republic, I would not be here to be judged by you, » Jose Filomeno dos Santos told Judge Joao Da Cruz Pitra, who chairs the Supreme Court’s proceedings. .

Former head of the Angolan sovereign investment fund, dos Santos, 41, is appearing with three other defendants for embezzlement of public funds and money laundering.

The court blames them for illegally transferring 500 million dollars from the Angolan central bank (BNA) to a Credit Suisse account in London, as part of a fraud that would have allowed them, according to the prosecutor’s office, to divert to $ 1.5 billion.

On Wednesday, Jose Filomeno dos Santos reiterated that the transfer was part of a perfectly legal project which should allow Angola to benefit from 35 billion dollars in funding.

« The 500 million was to be managed according to a contract signed between the BNA (Angolan Central Bank) and a consortium, which was not executed because it was canceled by the new executive, » he defended himself.

First of the Santos dos in front of the bar

« I have never been the partner or the representative of a company to which the BNA has paid this money, » insisted the defendant. « I only sent a project letter to the former president, who allowed me to attend meetings as chairman of the sovereign fund ».

Jose Filomeno dos Santos is the first member of the ex-president’s family to be brought to justice. Nicknamed « Zedu », he was jailed in September 2018 and released under judicial supervision in March. He faces two to twelve years in prison.

His father Jose Eduardo dos Santos retired in 2018 after 38 years of reigning supreme rule, during which he put the Angolan economy under control for the benefit of a handful of relatives.

His successor Joao Lourenço, former regime chief, has dismissed the support of the former head of state heads of institutions, public companies and the country’s security apparatus, in the name of the fight against corruption.

The family dos Santos denounces a persecution.