Angola’s public prosecutor has recently charged Angolan billionaire Isabel dos Santos with 12 crimes, including embezzlement and fraud. However, her lawyer claims that these charges are politically motivated.
As the daughter of former Angolan president José Eduardo dos Santos, Isabel dos Santos has faced allegations of using her position to enrich herself at the expense of the state. In response to the indictment, her lawyer argues that these charges are part of a sustained campaign of political persecution against her.
The Angolan billionaire Isabel dos Santos served as the chair of the state-owned oil firm Sonangol from 2016 to 2017. During this time, critics have accused her of embezzlement and fraud, claiming that she used her influence to benefit herself financially.
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However, dos Santos strongly denies these allegations and has been engaged in court proceedings in various jurisdictions to clear her name.
According to her lawyer, the charges against Isabel dos Santos are part of a larger pattern of political persecution orchestrated by President João Lourenço. Under Lourenço’s presidency, several relatives of former president José Eduardo dos Santos have faced prosecution on various charges.
This has led dos Santos’ lawyer to argue that the Angolan authorities aim to intimidate her and prevent her from running for political office.
Since investigations against her began, Isabel dos Santos has not been arrested. However, she is subject to several asset freezes around the world. These legal battles and asset freezes have resulted in her exclusion from Forbes’ rankings of the world’s wealthiest people, as her assets are disputed in various territories.
Isabel dos Santos has expressed her intention to run for Angola’s presidency in various media interviews over the past few years. However, with the ongoing legal challenges and political persecution she faces, it remains to be seen if she will be able to pursue her political ambitions.
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