The Supreme court has sentenced the former Minister of social communication, Manuel Rabelais to 14-years and six months in prison for embezzlement and money laundering.
The ex-communications Minister was arrested in October for allegedly squirellling away around $117 million between 2016 and 2017 using a marketing firm.
After months of legal battle, he was found guilty on Monday, April 12, 2021 and subsequently sentenced to 14-and-a-half years for embezzlement and money laundering.
Rabelais has denied any wrongdoing.
Angolan President, Joao Lourenco has been on an anti-corruption campaign against top politicians and businessmen who were allegedly perpetuating acts of corruption during the tenure of his predecessor, former President Jose Eduardo dos Santos.
Rabelais is the second ex-minister to be convicted for corruption since Lourenco took power in 2017.
Addressing cases of corruption in the country, Lourenco vowed to redress the economy and root out graft, targeting mainly his predecessor’s family and associates in the process.
