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| Version 1 | Version 2 |
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| Sao Tome officials in graft case | Sao Tome officials in graft case |
| (10 minutes later) | |
| Several former high-ranking government officials are due to appear in court in Sao Tome, in the island nation's largest corruption scandal. | |
| Millions of dollars vanished from the accounts of a body created in 1993 to manage foreign aid money. | Millions of dollars vanished from the accounts of a body created in 1993 to manage foreign aid money. |
| Ex-government ministers are accused of charging cars, foreign trips, phone bills, electoral campaigns and home refurbishments to the organisation. | Ex-government ministers are accused of charging cars, foreign trips, phone bills, electoral campaigns and home refurbishments to the organisation. |
| The accused, who include two former prime ministers, deny any wrongdoing. | The accused, who include two former prime ministers, deny any wrongdoing. |
| Among the alleged costs incurred to the now-defunct Gabinete de Gestao das Ajudas, or GGA, was the bill for redecorating the house of ex-Prime Minister Maria das Neves. | Among the alleged costs incurred to the now-defunct Gabinete de Gestao das Ajudas, or GGA, was the bill for redecorating the house of ex-Prime Minister Maria das Neves. |
| Another former Prime Minister, Guilherme Posser da Costa, is also charged. | Another former Prime Minister, Guilherme Posser da Costa, is also charged. |
| The BBC's Maimouna Jallow in Sao Tome says the accused have defended themselves with a common explanation: | The BBC's Maimouna Jallow in Sao Tome says the accused have defended themselves with a common explanation: |
| They say they used GGA cash because the government simply did not have enough in its coffers to foot the bill. | They say they used GGA cash because the government simply did not have enough in its coffers to foot the bill. |
| But our correspondent adds the corruption allegations could have dire consequences in a country where about 90% of its budget comes from foreign aid. | But our correspondent adds the corruption allegations could have dire consequences in a country where about 90% of its budget comes from foreign aid. |