Equatorial Guinea's flamboyant vice-president
has gone trial in absentia in France on charges
of corruption after he failed to stop the landmark
case.
Teodorin Obiang Nguema is accused of buying a
mansion and sports cars in France with a fortune
amassed from oil-rich Equatorial Guinea's public
funds.
A lawyer for Mr Obiang, the president's son,
denies he is a "big-time bandit".
The trial is the first since France started
investigating African leaders accused of illegally
acquiring wealth.
It comes after a nearly decade-long campaign by
anti-corruption groups demanding that France
act against leaders suspected of stashing their
"ill-gotten gains" in Europe.
Mr Obiang's six-storey Paris villa, estimated to
be worth more than $100m (£80m), is located on
Avenue Foch, in one the most prestigious
neighbourhoods of the French capital.
It boasts a cinema, spa, hair salon and taps
covered in gold leaf, AFP news agency reports.

Mr Obiang's lawyer, Emmanuel Marsigny, asked
the court to delay the trial, saying he needed
more time to prepare his client's defence.
"Believe me, Mr Nguema is not a big-time bandit.
He just wants his rights observed," the Associated
Press news agency quotes Mr Marsigny as
saying.
Corruption watchdog Transparency International's
lawyer William Bourdon told the court that the
trial should proceed and the defence was trying to
"paralyse" the judicial system through
"opportunistic" and "malicious" manoeuvres, AP
reports.
Malibu mansion
The West African state's government launched a
bid at the International Court of Justice to
prevent the trial from going ahead, arguing Mr
Obiang had diplomatic immunity.
The United Nations' court turned down the
request last month.
In November, Swiss authorities seized 11 cars
belonging to Mr Obiang, accusing him of money-
laundering.
Among them was reportedly a Porsche valued at
more than $830,000 and a Bugatti Veyron which
sells for $2m.
In 2014, Mr Obiang agreed to surrender a Malibu
mansion, a Ferrari and Michael Jackson
memorabilia as part of a settlement with US
authorities.
The US had filed claims against his US-based
assets worth more than $70m, alleging they were
proceeds of corruption.
Equatorial Guinea, a small country on the west
coast of Africa, struck oil in 1995 but most of its
population still lives in poverty.
Its President, Teodoro Obiang Nguema, is Africa's
longest serving leader.
He seized power in 1979, and promoted his son
to the post of vice-president in 2012.
Mr Obiang has always said that "he earned the
money legally in his country," Mr Marsigny told
AFP.
Source:
https://bbc.com/news/world-africa-38488727?iorg_service_id_internal=624173547714020%3BAfq2GtTErq-EIS5X

that guy of a VP is still learning, come to nigeria and chi chum chin

only das su kiii will teach you how to use it as an ATM instead of buying sport cars and houses abi na mansion