
Angola’s highest court threw out a five-year embezzlement sentence for Jose Filomeno dos Santos, son of the late president Jose Eduardo dos Santos. The verdict, announced on Thursday, declared the 2020 conviction unconstitutional.
The judges argued that the original trial violated “legality, adversarial proceedings, a fair and consistent judgment and the rights of the defence.” This suggests the court found flaws in how evidence was presented, the fairness of the trial process, and the defendant’s ability to defend himself.
The decision is a significant win for the dos Santos family, who have claimed they are victims of a politically motivated witch hunt. It’s unclear if Jose Filomeno, nicknamed “Zenu,” will be released or face a new trial.
Zenu was among the first in the former president’s family targeted by President Joao Lourenco’s anti-corruption drive launched after taking office in 2017. Accused of embezzling from the national wealth fund he oversaw, Zenu was sentenced in 2020 alongside three others.
The constitutional court, however, found issues with how the original trial handled evidence, including a letter from the ex-president, and inconsistencies between initial charges and final convictions.
Power Struggle and Anti-Corruption Efforts
This verdict is the latest chapter in a power struggle between President Lourenco and the dos Santos family. While Angola became a major oil producer under the elder dos Santos’ 38-year rule, the wealth largely enriched his family while the nation remained impoverished.
Lourenco, once chosen by dos Santos himself, has pursued his predecessor’s family and associates through an anti-corruption campaign. Isabel dos Santos, the ex-president’s eldest daughter and once Africa’s richest woman according to Forbes, has also faced investigations related to her time leading the state oil company.
The elder dos Santos died in Spain in 2022. President Lourenco won a disputed re-election a month later.