"There are no more delays, the process will continue", said Anabela Valente, highlighting that the "process cannot stop" and that "higher interests" are at stake.
"I meant the higher interests of justice," added the judge, after the intense buzz that arose in the Supreme Court room where the trial is taking place.
At least one more session was supposed to take place this week, but due to the lack of an interpreter for one of the defendants in the case, Chinese citizen You Haiming, from the China International Fund, the trial is only expected to resume next week.
Generals Helder Vieira Dias Júnior "Kopelipa", Leopoldino Fragoso do Nascimento "Dino", former strongmen of former President José Eduardo dos Santos (now deceased), and five other defendants, including three companies, are accused of crimes of influence peddling, embezzlement and money laundering, among others, within the scope of schemes that also involve the Angolan branch of the China International Fund and the state oil company Sonangol, which would have defrauded the State of millions of dollars.
According to the indictment, the former head of the Angolan secret services "Kopelipa" is accused of crimes of embezzlement, fraud by defrauding, document forgery, criminal association, influence peddling, abuse of power and money laundering, a total of seven crimes.
The former head of communications services "Dino", as well as lawyer Fernando Gomes dos Santos and You Haiming, from China International Fund, will answer for the crimes of fraud through defraudation, document forgery, criminal association, influence peddling and money laundering.
The process also involves the companies China International Fund Angola, Plansmart International Limited and Utter Right International Limited.
In Tuesday's session, in terms of preliminary questions, the defense requested the acquittal of the defendants invoking the 2016 Amnesty Law for most of the crimes, but You Haiming's preliminary questions were not presented due to the absence of a translator appointed by the court and which will be requested from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.
The one-week postponement will also allow the judging panel to investigate the proceedings of the ordinary appeal of unconstitutionality filed by the lawyer for the Chinese companies, Benja Satula, with objections relating to the adversarial investigation phase, which may have suspensive effects.
