The trial of Angolan former vice-president Manuel Vicente for alleged corruption opened Monday in his absence in the Portuguese capital, raising tensions between the oil-rich African country and its former colonial ruler.
Vicente, who headed Angola’s state oil company Sonangol, is accused by the Portuguese attorney general of bribing prosecutor Orlando Figueira 763,500 euros ($934,600) to scrap two probes into suspected money-laundering opened in 2011.
Angola, along with Nigeria, is one of Africa’s biggest oil producers, pumping 1.7 million barrels per day.
Five years ago, the Portugese media began to report an investigation into senior Angolan officials, including Vicente, damaging relations.
The Luanda regime, now headed by President Joao Lourenco who took over in September ending the 38-year rule of Jose Eduardo dos Santos, has…
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