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| France halts African leaders case | France halts African leaders case |
| (20 minutes later) | |
| A French appeals court has halted a lawsuit against three African leaders accused of embezzlement. | A French appeals court has halted a lawsuit against three African leaders accused of embezzlement. |
| Anti-corruption group Transparency International had accused the leaders of using African public funds to buy luxury homes and cars in France. | Anti-corruption group Transparency International had accused the leaders of using African public funds to buy luxury homes and cars in France. |
| But the court ruled the activists could not act against foreign heads of state. | But the court ruled the activists could not act against foreign heads of state. |
| Denis Sassou-Nguesso of Republic of Congo, Teodoro Obiang Nguema of Equatorial Guinea and the late Omar Bongo of Gabon denied any wrongdoing. | Denis Sassou-Nguesso of Republic of Congo, Teodoro Obiang Nguema of Equatorial Guinea and the late Omar Bongo of Gabon denied any wrongdoing. |
| Gabon and Republic of Congo are former French colonies, while Equatorial Guinea is a growing oil exporter. | Gabon and Republic of Congo are former French colonies, while Equatorial Guinea is a growing oil exporter. |
| A 2007 French police investigation found the leaders and their relatives owned homes in upmarket areas of Paris and on the Riviera along with luxury cars, including Bugattis, Ferraris and Maseratis. | A 2007 French police investigation found the leaders and their relatives owned homes in upmarket areas of Paris and on the Riviera along with luxury cars, including Bugattis, Ferraris and Maseratis. |
| Mr Bongo died in June, but his family were still liable under Transparency International's case. | Mr Bongo died in June, but his family were still liable under Transparency International's case. |
| The organisation said it regretted the court's "legally questionable" ruling and that it would lodge an appeal. |