At issue is Operation Caranguejo, which led, in June last year, to the dismantling of a scheme that involved fraudulent payments from the Casa de Segurança payroll, through which 62 million dollars were allegedly embezzled from the public purse.
The start of the trial was scheduled for 9 am at the Talatona Convention Center, depending on the number of actors involved in the process, including defendants, deponents, experts and witnesses.
Among the defendants are officers of the Angolan Armed Forces (FAA) and civilians, accused of embezzlement, criminal association, undue receipt of advantage, economic participation in business, abuse of power, fraud in the transport or transfer of currency abroad, illicit introduction of foreign currency into the country, illegal currency trading, prohibition of cash payments, withholding of currency, forgery of documents, money laundering and assuming false identity.
Angolan Major Pedro Lussati, considered the leader of the group, was arrested in possession of millions of dollars, euros and kwanzas stored in suitcases and crates, and he also owned more than a dozen vehicles.
The long list of witnesses, who will be heard in July and August, include the names of Manuel Vieira Dias "Kopelipa" and Higino Carneiro, among other top FAA generals.
Following these arrests, several officers linked to the President's Security House were dismissed, including General Pedro Sebastião, then Minister of State and head of Security House of João Lourenço, who was replaced in office by General Francisco Pereira Furtado.
