Luanda — Journalist and jurist Santos Vilola will launch his book "The Process No. 002/18, TS - The trial of a scheme that exposed flaws and shook the reputation of the BNA" this Friday at the Aníbal de Melo Press Center (CIAM) in Luanda.
The book is dedicated to one of the most publicized judicial processes in Angola's recent history.
The 113-page book addresses the details of the trial related to the attempted fraudulent transfer of 500 million dollars from the National Bank of Angola (BNA) to a bank account in London, an operation that was part of an alleged scheme to embezzle 1.5 billion dollars in three tranches of 500 million each.
The book recounts the facts discussed in the Criminal Chamber of the Supreme Court and brings together statements from various figures who participated in the process, including the then Minister of State for Economic Coordination, Manuel Nunes Júnior, the former Minister of Finance, Archer Mangueira, and the then Governor of the National Bank of Angola, José de Lima Massano.
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According to the press release, the author presents elements that highlight flaws in the financial control and supervision mechanisms, circumstances that, according to testimonies collected during the trial, affected the credibility of the Angolan central bank with international financial institutions.
The book also confronts the versions presented by the defendants with testimonies produced in court, describing how a group of individuals, without direct functions in the state apparatus, managed to execute a financial operation that culminated in the initial transfer of 500 million dollars to a private account at HSBC bank in the United Kingdom.
Among the main defendants were José Filomeno dos Santos, known as "Zenu," son of former President José Eduardo dos Santos, and the former governor of the National Bank of Angola, Valter Filipe Duarte da Silva.
The publication also addresses the participation of foreign citizens and companies associated with the process, as well as alleged mechanisms for the formation of companies and the transfer of shareholdings used in carrying out the operation. Another aspect highlighted in the work is the inclusion of questions sent to former President José Eduardo dos Santos, then undergoing medical treatment in Spain, and the answers obtained within the scope of the process.
Although completed between 2020 and 2021, the book is only now reaching the public, after all possibilities of appeal provided for in Angolan legislation before the Supreme Court and the Constitutional Court have been exhausted.
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The case ended with the conviction of the four defendants involved.
As part of the commemorations of the 50th anniversary of National Independence, José Filomeno dos Santos benefited from a presidential pardon granted by the President of the Republic, João Lourenço. Published by Oficina do Conhecimento, the book features a preface by journalist and university professor Augusto Alfredo, who holds a master's degree in Communication from the Catholic University of Brasília.
A native of Dondo, in the province of Cuanza-Norte, Santos Vilola has worked in journalism since 2001 and holds a law degree from the Faculty of Law at Agostinho Neto University.
Throughout his professional career, he has served as Political Editor of the Jornal de Angola, correspondent for the Presidency of the Republic, and contributor to regional and international media outlets.
He has also participated in the coverage of important political, diplomatic, and sporting events in Africa, Europe, Asia, and America. The book launch is scheduled for Friday at the Aníbal de Melo Press Center in Luanda.ART/TED/jmc
