Africa’s richest woman not aware of Interpol arrest warrant – lawyer

Lawyers representing Isabel dos Santos – the daughter of the former president of Angola – say they are not aware of any arrest warrant issued against her by Interpol.

According to Portugal’s Lusa news agency, citing an official document, the INTERPOL warrant was issued after Angola’s public prosecutors requested the agency to “locate, arrest” and extradite dos Santos.

She is accused of embezzlement and money laundering whilst head of the national oil company and has denied any wrongdoing. Her Angolan assets have been frozen.

Lusa reported that the warrant says Isabel dos Santos is often in Portugal, the UK and the United Arab Emirates.

Interpol has not issued a public statement.

She has faced corruption accusations for years, including allegations by Angola in 2020 that she and her husband had steered $1 billion in state funds to companies in which they held stakes during her father’s presidency, including oil giant Sonangol.

She has repeatedly denied any wrongdoing.

Dos Santos’ father, Jose Eduardo dos Santos, died in July this year and ruled Angola for almost four decades until 2017.