A French judge has cleared the way for probes into how three African heads of state came to possess multiple bank accounts, properties and cars in France, newspapers in Francophone Africa report. The leaders are accused of misuse of public funds.
The three presidents are named as Omar Bongo of Gabon, Teodoro Obiang Nguema of Equatorial Guinea and Denis Sassou Nguesso of Congo-Brazzaville.
Reports on the investigation, prompted by the anti-corruption group, Transparency International (France) and a Gabonese citizen, have been published by Le Potentiel of Kinshasa, L'Autre Quotidien of Cotonou and Fraternité Matin of Abidjan.
The papers reported that the judge cleared the way for an investigation in a ruling issued on Monday. But Bongo’s lawyers argue that Transparency International lacks the jurisdiction to launch the action. They have five days in which to appeal against the ruling. Bongo has also threatened to lay defamation charges against the group.
The charges are based on findings by auditors in 2007 that established a wide range of properties owned by the heads of state. An investigation showed that Bongo and his associates owned 39 apartments, hotels and houses, 70 bank accounts and nine cars in France.
Denis Sassou Nguesso, according to police, has 24 properties and 112 bank accounts in France. But in a recent interview, said all he owns is an apartment in Paris and a small house. About properties owned by his associates, he said: “Their lives are not mine. They live them the way they see fit.”
Le Potentiel reports that there are two schools of thought in Africa: the first believes the West should respect African leaders in office; the second believes in good governance. The latter group is encouraging the French court to continue with inquiries and believes a probe will serve as a lesson to African leaders who empty state treasuries for personal gain.
Report compiled and translated by Michael Tantoh. Read the original reports on AllAfrica’s French site here:
Gabon: Omar Bongo suspend ses activités
Congo-Brazzaville: Le parquet s'oppose à une enquête sur Bongo et Sassou Nguesso
