Judicial Ruling: Ex-President’s Son’s Conviction Overturned in Angola
Angola’s Constitutional Court has made a significant decision by overturning the five-year sentence handed to José Filomeno dos Santos, the son of former President José Eduardo dos Santos, for his involvement in a fraud case. This ruling reverses a 2020 conviction related to the illegal transfer of $500 million from Angola’s Sovereign Fund to a private account in the UK.
José Filomeno dos Santos, commonly known as Zenu, lodged an appeal against the verdict in 2022. In its ruling published on Thursday, the Constitutional Court deemed his conviction “unconstitutional” as it violated fundamental legal principles, including legality, adversarial proceedings, fair judgment, and the rights of the defense.
Zenu, who served as the head of Angola’s Sovereign Wealth Fund from 2013 to 2018, was sentenced alongside the former governor of Angola’s national bank and three others. The controversial transfer of funds occurred in 2017, shortly before his father stepped down as president after a 38-year tenure.
José Eduardo dos Santos relinquished the presidency in 2017, paving the way for his handpicked successor, former defense minister Joao Lourenço, to assume office. The dos Santos family’s influence and political legacy have been significant in Angola’s recent history, with this case shedding light on the complexities and challenges within the country’s governance and legal systems.
