Equatorial Guinea President’s Son Wanted by the French Police

Teodoro Nguema Obiang

French police issued an arrest warrant for Teodoro Nguema Obiang, the son of Equatorial Guinea’s president as part of an investigation into African leaders’ suspected “ill-gotten gains.”

The arrest warrant was issued on July 11 by Roger Le Loire, the judge in charge of the French investigations into the assets of three African heads of state and their families, when Teodoro  failed to appear for questioning before financial fraud squad officers over allegations of embezzling state funds, money laundering and breach of trust, in Paris.

In October 2011 luxury cars worth about €5m (£4m),  was siezed by the police in a raid on his 5-storey mansion on Avenue Foch, near the Champs Elysées. The house is fitted with  a disco, spa room, hair salon, gold and taps ecorated with jewel.

The 41 year old Obiang is also being investigated in the US for similar accusations. His assets including a private jet, yachts, cars and Michael Jackson memorabilia worth of $70m were seized last year and the US justice department filed court papers accusing him of spending $315m on property and luxury goods between 2004 and 2011 in June.

Three African leaders; Gabon’s late President Omar Bongo and his son Ali Bongo, the country’s current leader, the Congo-Brazzaville president, Denis Sassou-

Nguesso, and his relatives, and Equatorial Guinean’s Teodoro Obiang Nguema Mbasogo and family are under investigation in the “ill-gotten gains” on suspicions  they embezzled state funds and squandered around €160m worth of assets in France invested in bank accounts, Riviera villas and luxury cars.

As expected all have denied ever enriching themselves in France through embezzlement, money-laundering and misuse of public funds.

My Take:
I hope they are brought to book. They are in luxury while their citizens are dying of diseases, starvation denials. what a shame. Other developed countries should follow suit.