Some of the eldest children of Angola’s former president Jose Eduardo dos Santos have reportedly demanded an end to criminal cases against them in order for them to allow their father to be buried in Angola. Citing a letter from the former head of state’s daughter, Portuguese news agency Lusa reported Tuesday that Isabel dos Santos and some of her siblings gave conditions for a return to their homeland of their father’s body.
According to Bloomberg, they also demanded an apology for the way their father was treated after being replaced in 2017 by his defense minister, Joao Lourenco.
His daughter Isabel, dubbed the “princess” and tapped in 2016 to head the national oil company Sonangol, faces a slew of corruption investigations.
According to reports, her brother, Filomeno has been in prison since 2019 for corruption.
The daughter leading the effort to have an autopsy and to have dos Santos buried in Spain is Tchize. She once controlled a leading media company in Angola, an advertising agency and a major soccer team. Lusa reports Tchize Dos Santos distanced herself from the content of her siblings’ letter and insisted she will fight for the honor of her father to be restored rather than looking for “amnesty”.
Jose Eduardo dos Santos, who ruled Africa’s second-biggest oil producer for nearly four decades, died aged 79 on July 8 in a Spanish clinic.
Additional sources AP – AFP
