Mario Leite da Silva, former number two of Isabel dos Santos, has filed a request to transfer the case to Portuguese justice so that the trial can take place in Portugal.
Isabel dos Santos’s former manager has filed an application with the Angolan Supreme Court asking that the case in which he is accused be allocated to international judicial cooperation.
In this request, which was served on February 27, Mário Leite da Silva argues that, in addition to meeting all the legal requirements for the delegation of the process, the request is also legitimized by the principle of reciprocity, activated in 2018 in the case of which former Angolan Vice President Manuel Vicente is accused. The application of this criterion was recognized by both states.
“My defense does not conflict with anyone else’s defense. Engineer Isabel dos Santos, an Angolan, will defend herself in Angola. I, a Portuguese, intend to defend myself in Portugal. I only ask that Angola, by recognizing the sovereignty of the Portuguese society, Just as Portugal recognized the sovereignty of Angola in the Manuel Vicente process, I agree to the transfer of my participation in this process to my country. There is already a precedent, I’m just asking for equal treatment,” says Mario Leite da Silva.
According to the statement, the submission also indicated that there were other persons involved in the Manuel Vicente case, which not only did not prevent the transfer of the case to Angola, but also allowed the Portuguese accused to be tried in Portugal.
This is a criminal case in which Isabel dos Santos and others are accused of acts committed as part of the Sonangol restructuring project between 2016 and 2017.
Over the past four years, Mário Leite da Silva has submitted several requests, accompanied by extensive documentation, but has received no response from the Angolan authorities.
The request now submitted to the Angolan authorities has been sent to the Attorney General of the Portuguese Republic for information.
Author: morning Post
Source: CM Jornal
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