Bruno Fonseca / Lusa
Angolan businesswoman Isabel dos Santos
Radical change in the fight against corruption in the United Kingdom: Angolan “systematically abused her positions in state companies to embezzle at least 420 million euros”.
The British Government announced sanctions on the Angolan businesswoman this Thursday Isabel dos Santos and two of his associates, including ban on entering the country and the asset freeze.
The sanctions constitute the first step in the Ministry of Foreign Affairs’ new campaign to combat corruption and illicit financing, according to the statement.
Another two are covered by the sanctions “kleptocrats (…) who diverted wealth from their countries of originas well as their friends, family and intermediaries who helped them”, Ukrainian Dmitry Firtash and Latvian politician Aivars Lembergs.
In addition to Isabel dos Santos, her partner and friend are also subject to sanctions. Paula Oliveira and the former financial director of Sonangol Series Raikundalia.
“Isabel dos Santos, daughter of the former president of Angola, systematically abused his positions in state-owned companies to embezzle at least 350 million pounds sterling [420 milhões de euros]depriving Angola of resources and financing for much-needed development”, states the British Government, remembering that the businesswoman is the target of a Interpol red notice since November 2022, and last month lost a Court of Appeal case regarding the freezing of his assets worldwide.
Her associates helped Isabel dos Santos divert “Angola’s wealth for her own benefit”it is added.
Where is Isabel dos Santos?
Isabel dos Santos will be living permanently in Dubai to escape Interpol’s international arrest warrant, and Angola has already requested his arrest more than a year ago.
“We have already sent all the necessary documentation to Dubai, the United Arab Emirates and we hope that they will comply,” said Hélder Pitta Groz at the end of a visit to his Portuguese counterpart in October.
Furthermore, he said, “we made specific visits to the Emirates so that we could contact the competent authorities and we hope that they will say something, it is no longer up to us.”
The businesswoman has maintained her declaration of innocence, arguing that this is a political process brought by the current Angolan government with the aim of denigrating the image of the former President’s family.
Still on the first day of November, she took to her Instagram to highlight: “I am not and have never been in an unfamiliar place” and that “it is false that the Angolan authorities cannot contact me”: “I have always been available”.
“There may still be countries in the world that respect the presumption of innocence and Human Rights and do not carry out random arrests, by orders and superior interests”, he wrote.
“Lies”, says businesswoman
The businesswoman has already reacted to the new sanctions: she says they are unjustified and announced that she intends to appeal the decision and wants to prove “the lies” that the Angolan Government fabricated against itself.
“No court has found me guilty of corruption or bribery. We are before another step in the persecution campaign politically motivated attack from Angola against me and my family”, he insisted, stating that he intends to appeal the British decision.
“I hope that the United Kingdom will give me the opportunity to present my evidence and prove these lies fabricated against me by the Angolan regime”, he highlighted in a statement to which Lusa had access.
“Tackling kleptocrats and the dirty money that gives them power”
This is a radical change in the way the Government “is using its sanctioning powers to make the United Kingdom a more hostile environment for corrupt agents to operate”, says the government, highlighting that “the fight against corruption and financing illicit crime is vital to protecting the British public from organized crime.”
Quoted in the statement, the Minister of Foreign Affairs, David Lammy, declares himself committed to “tackling kleptocrats and the dirty money that gives them power”, stressing that sanctions are the first step.
“The tide is changing. The golden age of money laundering is over”, reinforced the minister.
The sanctions complement the work being carried out by the International Anti-Corruption Coordination Center (IACCC), an international law enforcement unit that involves multiple agencies and provides support in investigations into corruption and misappropriation of a country’s assets.
“The IACCC is currently assisting investigations in 42 countries. In Angola alone, the IACCC provided support in identifying and freezing hundreds of millions of pounds of proceeds of crime,” the document states.
The IACCC has already helped identify £1.45 billion in hidden assets (€1.74 billion), of which £631 million (€757 million) were frozen by court orders, and enabled 49 arrests of people politically exposed or corrupt agents.
