The information was put forward by the Angolan PGR itself to the Portuguese newspaper Eco. “There is nothing that leads me to say that it has to happen this way, but - if necessary - we will appeal the cooperation agreements with Portugal”, said Álvaro João, Angola's PGR spokesman, after being questioned about the possibility of forfeiting the assets of the former president's daughter in Portugal.
The already executed forfeiture of property of Isabel dos Santos, ordered by the Angolan Providential Court, is based on an accusation from the Angolan state, which claims repayment of loans made when the businesswoman was president of Sonangol and her father ruled the country. Thus, explains Álvaro João, "the choice [of the assets targeted for seizure] is related to the location of the assets themselves, which PGR located and decided to attack so that they would not be moved elsewhere".
Under the possibility that the process could cover the businesswoman's assets in Portugal - at Efacec, NOS, Galp or Eurobic - the spokesman stressed that "everything will be seen in its own time", adding that this is a time consuming job.
Thus, the Angolan PGR may request the inclusion in the process of assets of other countries, and the objective is to ensure that the state will be able to claim the payment of debts. “In this specific case we are not working with Portugal yet, but we always work and we have cooperation and information sharing agreements. If necessary, we will use them”, Álvaro João added to Eco.
Although theoretically the forfeiture is only applicable for 30 days, it should be in force until the first day of March, taking into account the judicial vacations in Angola. Only then can those targeted - Isabel dos Santos, her husband Sindika Dokolo and Mário Silva - argue. If necessary, the PGR believes that the Luanda Court will act and prolong the seizure: "If there is this fear [of capital flight] and the court has decreed the provisional seizure, then it is normal that it will be ordered until there is a final decision."
