Angolan police and secret agents accused of ‘robbery’ of Lussati’s house

Members of the Criminal Investigation Service (SIC) and Angolan intelligence services have been charged over the alleged robbery of the residence of Major Pedro Lussati, with the first controversial hearing scheduled for Wednesday.

The facts confirming the alleged attack on the residence of the Angolan Major Pedro Lussati, formerly assigned to the Security House of the President of the Republic of Angola and currently in custody, are set out in the indictment of the Ministry of State (MP), issued in the District Court of Luanda. here on Tuesday from Lusa.

According to process No. 1571/2022-MP, more than 10 SIC employees and a Colonel of the Angolan Armed Forces (FAA), associated with the State Intelligence and Security Service (SINSE), allegedly entered the residence of Major Pedro Lussati in one of the condominiums in Luanda and removed from there large sums of money in suitcases, between kwanzaa and currency.

The indictment states that during preliminary interrogations, Investigative Committee officers in May 2021, wearing institutional vests and armed with a fake arrest warrant, entered Lussati’s house and took three suitcases of money.

They entered the apartment of Lussati, convicted of embezzlement and fraud in 2022 as part of Operation Crab, with the help of an FAU lieutenant colonel, also a defendant, and took away suitcases containing large sums of money “delivered to CINSE through General Fernando García.” Miala (General Director of CINCE), who arrived at the scene,” states the deputy.

However, taking advantage of the general distraction, the deputy’s resolution says, one of the SIC agents involved in the case took possession of a backpack lying on the floor, which contained $500,000, “subsequently sharing half the cost with your friend, an FAA officer.”

An FAA officer assigned to SINSE confirmed during interrogation that, “although he was afraid,” he received $250,000 and used this amount to purchase housing.

In addition to suitcases containing millions of kwanzas and dollars, the SIC defendants in the trial, whose conflicting instructions begin Wednesday in the Luanda District Court, also received ATM cards and then made several transfers and large sums. spending.

According to the indictment, they disagreed over the distribution of amounts on ATM cards, and two of them were killed by members of the group.

They are charged with criminal enterprise, obtaining, using and abusing credit cards, debit cards or guarantees, qualified homicide for reasons of means and others, for acting in an “organized, specific, free, voluntary and knowing” manner such conduct entailed. was prohibited, undesirable and punishable by law.

A source close to the court said that Major Lussati’s defense “requires” the presence at this hearing of General Fernando García Miala and Televisão Pública de Angola (TPA) journalist Cabingano Manuel, since the latter “took part in the first episodes of the case.” .

Last July, Pedro Lussati accused Angola’s secret leader of kidnapping him, robbing one of his houses in Odivelas, Portugal, and embezzling millions of dollars.

Lussati, convicted in November 2022 for crimes related to embezzlement, currency transportation fraud and money laundering, accuses the SINSE director of crimes related to “abuse of power, kidnapping and robbery.”

The FAA spokesman, in a letter sent to the President of the National Assembly (Parliament) and to which Lusa had access, also accuses the SINSE director of crimes related to “extortion, libelous exposure, malfeasance and obstruction of justice.”

Pedro Lussati was sentenced at first instance to 14 years’ imprisonment, now reduced to 12 years; Lussati also attributes statements to the SINSE director that “his money is with the president.” [da República]Joao Lourenco.”