FRANCE/FILE: Paris judge opens probe into African leaders' assets held in France

Record ID: 456034

  • Title: FRANCE/FILE: Paris judge opens probe into African leaders' assets held in France
  • Date: 6th May 2009
  • Summary: PARIS, FRANCE (MAY 6, 2009) (REUTERS) NEWS CONFERENCE STARTING WITH DANIEL LEBEGUE, PRESIDENT OF TRANSPARENCY INTERNATIONAL FRANCE AND WILLIAM BOURDON, ATTORNEY REPRESENTING TRANSPARENCY INTERNATIONAL FRANCE LOGO OF SHERPA, HUMAN RIGHTS GROUP BRINGING CASE TO COURT WITH TRANSPARENCY INTERNATIONAL FRANCE (SOUNDBITE) (French) DANIEL LEBEGUE, PRESIDENT OF TRANSPARENCY INTERNATIONAL FRANCE, SAYING: "This is the first time that sitting presidents have been charged by the judicial system of a major democracy such as France." JOURNALIST LISTENING (SOUNDBITE) (French) DANIEL LEBEGUE, PRESIDENT OF TRANSPARENCY INTERNATIONAL FRANCE, SAYING: "By applying the United Nations anti-corruption convention, we seek to have this public money, which was embezzled by these leaders and their families, returned to the people it belongs to, that is to the people of these countries and in particular the poorest, most disadvantaged among them." JOURNALIST FILMING LEBEGUE AND BOURDON AT TABLE (SOUNDBITE) (French) WILLIAM BOURDON, ATTORNEY REPRESENTING TRANSPARENCY INTERNATIONAL FRANCE, SAYING: "An appeal would constitute a serious gap with the latest public declarations made by President Nicolas Sarkozy at the G20 summit, where he tried to convince everyone that he was a champion in the fight against tax havens, financial crime and international fraud." JOURNALIST FILMING (SOUNDBITE) (French) WILLIAM BOURDON, ATTORNEY REPRESENTING TRANSPARENCY INTERNATIONAL FRANCE, SAYING: "Unfortunately an appeal would seem to indicate that the prosecutors' office, in this case and in others, defends the notion that the state is always right in this country." END OF NEWS CONFERENCE JOURNALISTS FILMING (SOUNDBITE) (French) BRUNO BEN MUBAMBA, GABONESE CIVIL RIGHTS ACTIVIST, SAYING: "Not just any Gabonese citizen living in Gabon would say to President Bongo "I am filing a complaint against you" knowing that he had lost his job, his salary had been suspended, his life has been threatened and he is persecuted every day." JOURNALISTS INTERVIEWING BRUNO BEN MUBAMBA CHAMPS ELYSEES IN PARIS VARIOUS OF PARISIAN FLATS ALLEGED TO BELONG TO THE LEADERS IN QUESTION
  • Embargoed: 21st May 2009 13:00
  • Keywords:
  • Topics: Crime / Law Enforcement,International Relations
  • Reuters ID: LVA2PSES1PPG6KYINKQO489TQ306
  • Story Text: A French magistrate launched a probe on Wednesday (May 6) into whether the presidents of three African countries used embezzled public funds to buy luxury homes and cars in France.
    The accused African leaders are Omar Bongo of Gabon, Denis Sassou Nguesso of Congo Republic and Obiang Nguema Mbasogo of Equitorial Guinea.
    "This is the first time that sitting presidents have been charged by the judicial system of a major democracy such as France," said Daniel Lebegue, President of Transparency International France, an anti-corruption organisation that filed the charges.
    "By applying the United Nations anti-corruption convention, we seek to have this public money, which was embezzled by these leaders and their families, returned to the people it belongs to, that is to the people of these countries and in particular the poorest, most disadvantaged among them,"
    said Lebegue.
    The Paris prosecutors' office, which answers to the justice ministry, had asked for Transparency's complaint to be shelved. It is likely to appeal against the magistrate's decision.
    "An appeal would constitute a serious gap with the latest public declarations made by President Nicolas Sarkozy at the G20 summit, where he tried to convince everyone that he was a champion in the fight against tax havens, financial crime and international fraud," said William Bourdon, the attorney representing Transparency International France in the case.
    "Unfortunately an appeal would seem to indicate that the prosecutors' office, in this case and in others, defends the notion that the state is always right in this country," said Bourdon.
    A Gabonese citizen, Gregory Ngbwa Mintsa, had requested to be a co-plaintiff with Transparency on the basis that as a taxpayer he was a victim of corruption, but the magistrate rejected the argument so he will not be party to the case.
    "Not just any Gabonese citizen living in Gabon would say to President Bongo 'I am filing a complaint against you' knowing that he had lost his job, his salary had been suspended, his life has been threatened and he is persecuted every day," said Bruno Ben Mubamba, a Gabonese civil rights activist.
    A 2007 French police probe established that Bongo and his relatives owned 39 properties in France, mostly in the rich 16th district of Paris, as well as 70 bank accounts and nine cars. They also found that Sassou Nguesso and his family owned 24 apartments and had 112 bank accounts in the country, while Obiang and his relatives had one apartment and eight cars.
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