The start of the hearing of the defendants, initially scheduled for this Tuesday, was set for Monday, announced the reporting judge of the case, Anabela Valente, who agreed to the request of the defendant's public defender China International Found (CIF) Angola.
Speaking to Lusa, upon leaving the TS, lawyer Benja Satula, representing Utter and Plansmart, recalled that the production of evidence in this case would begin this Tuesday, but the court, the defense and the Public Prosecutor's Office agreed to postpone the session.
Defendants Manuel Hélder Vieira Dias Júnior "Kopelipa", Leopoldino Fragoso do Nascimento "Dino", the two accused of defrauding the Angolan State of millions of dollars, Yiu Haiming, Fernando Gomes, the companies Plansmart International Limited, Utter Right International Limited and China International Found (CIF) are accused of the crimes of embezzlement, fraud by defrauding, document forgery, criminal association, abuse of power, money laundering and influence peddling.
The companies were allegedly used by the defendants to set up the scheme, involving a financing agreement between Angola and China to support national reconstruction after the civil war, which also included the China International Fund and its subsidiaries and Sonangol.
Asked about what he expects from the trial, which began on March 10 and was suspended several times due to the absence of defendant CIF Angola, who was tried in absentia, Benja Satula said he had no expectations, but guaranteed that all the rights of the defendants and the defense are protected, "despite some normal setbacks in processes of this nature and dimension".
Regarding the constant suspensions of the hearings, the lawyer said that these happened because it was the preliminary issues phase, "which were fundamental to be discussed and decided", in order to reach the evidence production phase.
