O The British government announced today that it has imposed sanctions against Isabel dos Santos and two other kleptocrats. The daughter of the former Angolan president has been banned from entering the country, and her assets have been frozen, as part of a campaign against corruption.

Isabel dos Santos reacted through her press office considering the decision “incorrect and unjustified” and again denied that he had misappropriated money from the state oil company Sonangol or the telecommunications operator, Unitel.

“No court has found me guilty of corruption or bribery.”

“This is another step in Angola's politically motivated campaign of persecution against me and my family.”

Isabel dos Santos insisted, stating that she intends to appeal the British decision.

"I hope the United Kingdom will give me the opportunity to present my evidence and prove these lies fabricated against me by the Angolan regime."

This was highlighted in a statement to which Lusa had access.

In addition to Isabel dos Santos, her partner and friend Paula Oliveira and former Sonangol financial director Sarju Raikundalia are also subject to sanctions starting today.

“Isabel dos Santos, daughter of the former President of Angola, systematically abused her positions in state-owned companies to embezzle at least 350 million pounds sterling [420 million euros], depriving Angola of resources and funding for much-needed development.”

The British government states, recalling that the businesswoman has been the subject of an Interpol red notice since November 2022 and, last month, lost a case in the Court of Appeal regarding the freezing of her assets worldwide.

Her associates helped Isabel dos Santos to divert “Angola's wealth for its own benefit“, it is added.

Two other kleptocrats, Ukrainian Dmitry Firtash and Latvian politician Aivars Lembergs, are also covered by the sanctions.

This is a radical change in the way the Government “is using its sanctioning powers to make the UK a more hostile environment for corrupt actors to operate“, the government said, stressing that “the fight against corruption and illicit finance is vital to protecting the British public from organized crime".

The sanctions complement the work being carried out by the International Anti-Corruption Coordination Centre (IACCC), a multi-agency international law enforcement unit that supports investigations into corruption and misappropriation of a country's assets.

“The IACCC is currently assisting investigations in 42 countries.”

“In Angola alone, the IACCC provided support in identifying and freezing hundreds of millions of pounds of proceeds of crime,” the document states.

The IACCC has already helped identify £1,45 billion in hidden assets (€1,74 billion), of which £631 million (€757 million) has been frozen by court order, and has led to 49 arrests of politically exposed persons or corrupt officials.

Picture: © Tiago Petinga