26 March 2023 | 01:40 PM

Update: Moz ex-finance minister denied bail

Key Takeaways

Mozambique’s former finance minister, Manuel Chang, will remain in custody – at least for the next 60 days.

Chang, who is implicated in an international corruption scandal, was denied bail on Wednesday for the second time following his arrest at OR Tambo International Airport late last month. Chang had been on his way to Dubai when South African police, acting on a request from Interpol and US investigators, took him in.

Investigative journalism takes time and money. Help us do more. Be an amaB Supporter.

Chang and four other suspects, including three former Credit Suisse bankers, were indicted by a New York court last month. They are accused of orchestrating a $2-billion scheme which was supposed to revitalize Mozambique’s fishing industry, but which instead plunged the economy into chaos.

Read amaBhungane’s full story on the scandal here and listen to an interview with amaBhungane’s Susan Comrie about it here.

The US authorities want Chang and the London-based bankers extradited to stand trial in the US for charges ranging from fraud to money laundering.

On Wednesday, Chang’s advocate tried to persuade the Kempton Park magistrate’s court that his client’s arrest was unlawful because US authorities had not filed an extradition request when the arrest took place. Magistrate Sagra Subroyen disagreed, but set a time limit of 60 days for the US investigators to file a formal request.

At least one of Chang’s pleas was answered though; he will be spending the next 60 days in his own cell rather than in the crowded general cells at Modderbee prison. Chang’s advocate told the court that his client – once one of the most powerful men in Mozambique – had been forced to pay protection money to the leader of the cell just to ensure his safety.

This is a significant step down for a man that US authorities claim received $5-million in kickbacks paid into a bank account in Spain.

Share this story:

INVESTIGATOR:

Aisha Abdool Karim

Aisha is a freelance science and health reporter. She is joining the amaB team to work on a project about water and sanitation. Aisha’s passion for long-form narrative and investigative journalism was sparked while doing her master’s degree at Columbia University in New York. After graduating in 2018, she returned to South Africa and began working as a general beat reporter for the Daily Maverick. Aisha joined the Bhekisisa Centre for Health Journalism in 2020 to focus on science reporting. During her time there, she covered the COVID-19 pandemic extensively — from fact-checking harmful medical misinformation to unpacking the science behind vaccine development. Aisha’s special interests include analysing health systems and in-depth coverage of public health issues and infectious diseases. She also loves spreadsheets and digging through data.

Your identity is safe with us. Email or Call us

KNOW MORE INFORMATION ABOUT THIS STORY OR ANOTHER?

Related Stories