The unthinkable is happening in parts of Africa. Those who used to be seen as sacred cows are now being brought to book. In Angola, the new President, Joao Laurenco, is blowing hot. José Filomeno dos Santos, the former president of the Angolan Sovereign Fund and son of former Angolan president, José Eduardo dos Santos, is barred from leaving the country.
According to the Deputy Attorney-General of Angola, Luís Zanga, Dos Santos has officially been charged in connection with a case involving the illegal transfer of five hundred million dollars of state money to Crédit Suisse Bank in the United Kingdom. His passport has also been seized.
The former Governor of the National Bank of Angola, Valter Filipe, also accused of embezzlement and money laundering, must remain in Angola while investigations last.
Investigation shows that the money transfer was made by Filipe in September 2017, one month before his resignation from office at his request, according to the report.
President João Lourenço promised to tackle graft when he took over from Jose Eduardo dos Santos in August. This is the second high-profile investigation against a member of his predecessor’s family. In November 2017, Lourenco fired his predecessor’s daughter, Isabel dos Santos, from her influential post as Head of the Sonangol State Oil Company barely 3 months after he took office.
In 2017, the country’s state oil company announced an investigation into “possible misappropriation” of funds by Isabel dos Santos during her time as the company’s chief executive. The lady who was appointed Head of Sonangol by her father, Jose Eduardo dos Santos, in 2016, has denied any misconduct.
