"It was through the press that we learned that businessman Carlos de São Vicente was brought to the Luanda District Court for the opening of the judicial phase of his case on Wednesday, March 10, 2021. Carlos São Vicente has no access to the case and, once again, the rights of the defense are violated in an unacceptable way ", denounced the lawyers of the company Zimeray & Finelle.
In a note sent to Lusa, the lawyers considered that the Portuguese-Angolan businessman is being "the victim of a political trial" and that the presumption of innocence is being violated, since the Public Ministry "denies him an effective, essential defense. for a fair trial ".
"We vehemently denounce this parody of justice, which masks an attempt to plunder the heritage of Carlos de São Vicente, in a context of social chaos", they accused.
The businessman was arrested on 22 September and was held in preventive detention on suspicion of crimes of embezzlement and money laundering, among others.
On 10 March, the lawyers of the Portuguese-Angolan economist lodged a complaint with a body of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights demanding his immediate release.
Lawyers François Zimeray and Jessica Finelle warned in the document of multiple violations of the rules of fair trial and conditions of detention "contrary to any idea of justice and dignity".
The order that ordered the preventive detention of Carlos de São Vicente states that he carried out "an illegal scheme" that injured the oil company Sonangol by more than 900 million dollars.
