Dos Santos son charged with fraud

LUANDA, March 27, 2018 – The ex-head of Angola’s sovereign wealth fund and son of former President José Eduardo dos Santos has been charged with fraud, the Angolan prosecutor general’s office said on Monday.

José Filomeno dos Santos was charged over a USD 500-million transaction from a central bank account. UK authorities had blocked the transfer and said they would return the money to the Angolan government. José Filomeno dos Santos’ passport was seized and he is barred from leaving the country.

“A pardon will not work…This case will run to its final outcome,” Luis Benza Zanga, vice-prosecutor general and head of the National Directorate for Criminal Investigations, was quoted as saying by Reuters.

President João Lourenço removed José Filomeno dos Santos as head of the sovereign wealth fund in January. President Lourenço also removed Isabel dos Santos from her post as head of Sonangol in November 2017. She had been appointed as head of Sonangol by her father in June 2016, after the company’s board was sacked by presidential decree.

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