Ill-gotten gains trial

Transparency International

Ill-gotten gains trial – Transparency International

I covered on behalf of Transparency International France the verdict of the ill-gotten gains trial at the Paris law courts. A verdict of a high-profile trial where the Vice President of Equatorial Guinea, Teodoro Obiang, was sentenced Friday by the French justice to three years in prison suspended and to 30 million fine in the so-called trial of “evil property acquired”.

Let’s ecall that Teodoro Obiang, the current vice president (appointed by his current father president) of Equatorial Guinea, is accused in this case of “laundering of abuse of social property”, “embezzlement of public funds”, “breach of trust” and “corruption”

Procès des biens mal acquis - Transparency International 3

Me William Bourdon – Ill-gotten gains trial – Transparency International

It is William Bourdon, lawyer of the civil part “Transparency International France“, which battle for ten years to make emerge this first case. He states “Our witnesses were all harassed, threatened on the spot, an exile victim of an assassination attempt. How far will the “barbouzerie” go? “

Moreover during the trial ex-Mercenary Simon Mann was called to the bar as a witness where he recounted his course quite sulphurous! This is to say that Maitre Bourdon had made well founded accusations.

The court witnessed several witnesses of the civil parties. Entrepreneurs, journalists, they spoke about the repression, describes Equatorial Guinea as a country where reigns “kleptocracy” and “corruption”. Developments that sometimes led the lawyer of the defendant, Emmanuel Marsigny, to pester: “We waste our time.” Replica of Me Bourdon: “You take for a judge in Malabo, Marsigny”.