Dos Santos raised the National Angolan contracts and embezzled funds to aid her businesses with partners Dokolo, Konema Mwenenge, and others.
Several documents were released after dos Santos was fired from Sonangol. The following are some of the leaked documents found:
The Angolan government quest started in 2017 after Joao Lourenço became the new president of Angola. Joao Lourenço is well known for his corruption-fighting character, according to the 68-year-old Angolan president’s statements:Â
“With the support of civil society and specialized international institutions, we are implementing initiatives to combat money laundering, as well as to recover assets that have been set up with public resources or been illegally transferred… outside the country.”
“We are deepening the foundations of the rule of law, where there is no impunity for acts of corruption and practices of nepotism and influence peddling.”
The Lourenço regime detected payment inflation, irregularities, noncompetitive bidding, inappropriate subcontracting, and more and fired Isabel dos Santos from being the head of Sonangol, the Angolan state oil. After hours of being fired, she transferred more than $30 million to one of her business accounts in Dubai, which led to further investigation of her previous corruption.
Based on the available documents in the office, the new head of Angolan state oil, Carlos Saturnino, stated some of the corrupted acts dos Santos was involved in when she was the head of Sonangol. He said dos Santos was involved in inappropriate business practices, numerous consultants, tax avoidance, imprudent compensation, conflict of interest, inflation of consultation, and most consultation were directed to her businesses rather than giving other citizens the opportunity.
According to the Angolan government, they are currently searching to see whether dos Santos and her associates (Sindika Dokolo, Mr. Konema Mwenenge, and others) have embezzled several millions of dollars while she was in charge of Sonangol and the national diamond company, Sodiam.
Dos Santos and associates denied the new government’s claim. According to dos Santos, she said the money transfer was to pay for a service rendered to Sonangol, while Dokolo, the husband and joint business associate, made a statement that:
“Beyond the truth of the facts, some things you accuse me of are not even illegal in Angolan law. It’s like I’m accusing you of being ugly or in a bad mood… What’s the point of answering me?”
Mr. Mwenenge, the manager of dos Santos and Dokolo’s Empire, and other business associates refused to make any statement on the case.
The Angolan government has sent letters to various countries to implement the search for the money looted by the former president’s daughter, dos Santosa and associates Dokolo, Mwenenge, and others. A report shows that Dubai and Portugal have executed the Angolan request, as Mr. Mwenenge, Dokolo, dos Santosa, and other business associates’ assets have been frozen.