French judge will not return Parisian building claimed by Equatorial Guinea – Agencies Africa

“On Wednesday, June 8, a French judge refused to return the hotel confiscated by France in 2012 to Equatorial Guinea, following the conviction of Ecuadorian Vice President Theodore Obi-Wan for misappropriating corporate property and embezzling public funds.”

In its “recovery request” sent to the Court of Appeal in September 2021, Equatorial Guinea claimed to be the “trusted” owner of the building. According to Equatorial Guinea State Attorney Kevin Grossman, the building was sold by Opiangal to the state of Equatorial Guinea in September 2011, before being captured in 2012.

But the French Court of Appeal declared the request “unacceptable.”. The 3000 m² luxury building, valued at approximately 10 107 million by justice, is located on Avenue Fச்சch, one of the most trendy districts in the French capital, Paris.

Recall that after the rejection of his appeal in July 2021, Theodore Obiang, son of President Theodore Obiang Nukuma, was sentenced to three years in prison, fined 30 million euros and confiscated property.

NGOs welcome the Court of Appeal’s ruling and hope that the ill-gotten gains will be restored for the benefit of the people of Equatorial Guinea.