Mozambique ex-minister to be extradited to the US over graft

An ex-Mozambican finance minister wished by Washington in reference to a graft scandal that triggered an unprecedented monetary disaster in his residence nation might be handed over to the FBI this week, South African police mentioned Monday 10 July 2023.

Manuel Chang has been held in South Africa since 2018 at the USA’ request over his alleged function in a case that triggered monetary havoc in Mozambique.

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“Sure, Manuel Chang is anticipated to be extradited to the USA, he was arrested in South Africa and has been in custody since his arrest,” police spokeswoman Athlenda Mathe informed.

FBI within the nation?

“I do know that the FBI are within the nation, they’ve already arrived and they’re prepared to select him up so it’s only a matter of handing him over,” she mentioned.

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The so-called “hidden debt” scandal noticed the Mozambican authorities contracting secret loans amounting to $2 billion in 2013 and 2014 from worldwide banks to purchase a tuna-fishing fleet and surveillance vessels.

Maputo hid the loans from parliament, however the debt got here to mild in 2016, prompting donors, together with the IMF and the World Financial institution, to show off monetary assist.

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Worst financial disaster in Mozambique

Chang — who signed off the loans and misplaced a battle towards extradition earlier this 12 months — is accused of getting used the US monetary system to hold out the fraudulent scheme.

The scandal sparked Mozambique’s worst financial disaster since independence from Portugal 4 a long time beforehand. An impartial audit later discovered $500 million had been diverted and stays unaccounted for.

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ub-zam/imm© Agence France-Presse