Lisbon — Angolan Vice-President Manuel Vicente will face trial in Portugal over allegations he bribed a magistrate to drop two investigations against him, according to a Wednesday ruling cited in Portuguese media. Vicente, who was the president of Angolan national oil company Sonangol at the time of the alleged crimes, is accused of bribery, money laundering and document falsification, the public prosecutor’s office said, according to Portugal’s main news agency, Lusa. Lisbon’s trial court has also ordered former Portuguese prosecutor Orlando Figueira, who was arrested in 2016, to be tried on suspicion of receiving money from Vicente. Vicente has denied any involvement in the affair, saying shortly after Figueira’s arrest that he had "absolutely nothing to do with any payment". Until news of the corruption scandal emerged last year, the 61-year-old had been strongly tipped as a potential successor to President Jose Eduardo Dos Santos, who has ruled Angola since 1979. He was informed...
Would you like to comment on this article?
Sign up (it's quick and free) or sign in now.
Please read our Comment Policy before commenting.
Subscribe now to unlock this article.
Support BusinessLIVE’s award-winning journalism for R129 per month (digital access only).
There’s never been a more important time to support independent journalism in SA. Our subscription packages now offer an ad-free experience for readers.
Cancel anytime.
Questions? Email helpdesk@businesslive.co.za or call 0860 52 52 00. Got a subscription voucher? Redeem it now.