Angolan President João Lourenço has pardoned around 50 prisoners, including José Filomeno dos Santos, son of late former President José Eduardo dos Santos. The pardon, announced in a presidential decree on Wednesday, cited “good behaviour” and a desire to foster harmony ahead of Angola’s 50th independence anniversary. José Filomeno, convicted of embezzlement and influence trafficking in 2020, was serving a five-year jail term for transferring $500 million from Angola’s National Bank to an account in the UK.
The pardon marks a significant turn in Angola’s fight against corruption, as José Filomeno’s conviction was the first major case following José Eduardo dos Santos’ 38-year rule, which ended in 2017. Three others sentenced in connection with the fraud case, including a former national bank governor, were also jailed. The move aims to promote “concord and fraternity” during the independence milestone, according to the decree.
Meanwhile, another member of the Dos Santos family remains in the spotlight. Isabel dos Santos, Africa’s richest woman and daughter of the late president, was recently sanctioned by the UK for allegedly embezzling at least £350 million ($443 million) from state-run companies. Angolan authorities are pursuing her for alleged mismanagement of the national oil company Sonangol, which she chaired between 2016 and 2017.
The Dos Santos family has dismissed the allegations as a political witch hunt. However, President Lourenço’s anti-corruption stance continues to garner international attention as Angola seeks accountability for years of financial mismanagement under its former leadership.
