The former chairperson of the Board of Directors of the Sovereign Fund, José Filomeno dos Santos, was accused by the Attorney General’s Office (PGR) on suspicion of involvement in the illegal transfer of USD 500 million from the National Bank of Angola BNA).
The former governor of the National Reserve Bank (BNA), Valter Filipe, Jorge Gaudens Pontes, António Samalia Manuel and João Domingos dos Santos, who, together with José Filomeno dos Santos, are also banned from leaving the country. They all should report periodically to the authorities.
The information was advanced on Monday in a press conference by the Deputy Attorney General of the Republic, Luís Ferreira Benza Zanga, for whom the illegal transfer of these values from the state coffers constitutes the crime of embezzlement, in this case, forgiveness does not work.
This is the transfer last September of USD 500 million from BNA to an account at Credit Suisse in London as collateral for alleged financing of USD 30 billion.
The operation would turn out to be a scandal against the Angolan state, with the London authorities suspecting and blocking the funds in London.
Around this process nine respondents were heard and home and office searches were carried out, as well as documents and other objects linked to the alleged illicit one, namely computers, pen drives, among others, to extract elements connected to the crime.
General Nunda defendant and facilities of APIEX and UTIP searched
The current chief of staff of the Angolan Armed Forces (FAA), Army General Geraldo Sachipengo Nunda, was also accused by the Attorney General’s Office (PGR).
He is implicated in the network of individuals who fraudulently tried to negotiate a USD 50 billion for international financing operation proposed by a Thailand company for several projects in Angola.
Four generals were also indicted in the case, one of whom was already heard by the PGR, as well as the former heads of the Technical Unit for Private Investment (UTIP), Norberto Garcia, and the Angola Investment and Exports Promotion Agency ( APIEX), Belarmino Van-Dúnem.
As part of this process, 14 telephones, four computers, three Ipad and two pen drives were seized to collect electronic evidence that connects with the crimes reported.
The head of the PGR made it known that letter were also submitted to the banking institutions, the commercial registry and customs, in order to assess the tax regularity of the companies involved, noting that investigations are proceeding at a good pace, at 70 percent.
He said that they noticed that the situation was taken advantage of by the entities involved, in order to take advantage of the value promised by the supposed entrepreneurs.
“As we know, USD 50 billion dollars is not little money. This messes with anyone, “said the official, calling for the redoubled vigilance of related organs not to fall into illegality.
He noted that the PGR is committed to carrying out this process to the end, within the established deadlines, predicting that there will be no constraints in joining the evidence that the institution wants to gather and refer to judgment.
Source: Angop