Teodoro Nguema Obiang Mbasogo / Teodoro Nguema Obiang Mangue (France chapter)

According to Transparency International France, on May 23, 2016, the French Prosecutor's Office filed an indictment against Mr. Obiang for a trial in the Criminal Court of Paris.  In November 2010, the French Supreme Court overturned a lower court decision and permitted the "Biens Mal Acquis" (“Ill-Gotten Gains”) complaint, originally filed in March 2007 by Transparency International France and SHERPA to proceed. The civil society organizations had filed a complaint against assets allegedly belonging to three African public officials: Omar Bongo, Dennis Sassou Nguesso, and Teodoro Obiang, and their relatives. Transparency International stated that "this decision stands as a considerable legal milestone that goes beyond the 'Biens Mal Acquis' case.

For the first time in France, the collective action of an anti-corruption association is deemed admissible before a criminal court." According to secondary sources, including GTSpirit.com, on September 29, 2011, the French National Police seized 11 supercars belonging to Mr. Obiang; among the cars seized from the Obiang Paris residence at 42 Avenue Foch were two Bugati Veyrons, a Maserati MC12, a Porsche Carrera GT, a Ferrari Enzo, a Ferrari 599 GTO, Aston Martin V8 V600 LM, Rolls Royce Drophead Coupe, and a Bentley (model not identified) valued at total of $5 million. According to the Agence France-Presse (AFP), French authorities have seized and auctioned luxury goods purchased by Mr. Obiang in February and July 2012 (respectively, valuable artwork and antiquities, and a 1,000 square metre property on 40/ 42 avenue Foch in Paris detained through French and Swiss companies which were alleged to be beneficially owned by Mr. Obiang (two French companies, Foch Services and SCI Avenue du Bois; and five Swiss companies, Ganesha, Re Entreprise, Gep, Nordi And Shipping, Raya Holding). French authorities issued an Europe-wide arrest warrant against him in July 2012. According to a press release from the NGOs Transparency International France and Sherpa, the Paris court (the Tribunal de Grande Instance) issued an indictment against Teodoro Nguema Obiang Mangue on money-laundering charges on March 19, 2014. According to Sherpa in December 2015, the Court of Cassation rejected Mr. Obiang's petition to have his case dismissed on grounds of diplomatic immunity, thus paving the way for the trial to proceed.

In parallel, the Obiang family brought several defamation cases in France notably against two NGOs, the Catholic Committee Against Hunger (CCFD -Terre Solidaire) and Transparency International France, and a French news magazine L'Express. According to RFI, the Paris court dismissed the defamation case against Transparency International France on June 26, 2014, and dismissed the one brought against l’Express on July 4, 2014. The libel suit against CCFD was also dismissed and this decision upheld on appeal on April 25, 2013. 

[Source: StAR desk research/public source information]