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France halts African leaders case France halts African leaders case
(30 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.
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. Transparency International had argued that it was not possible that the men and their entourages had bought the assets through their legitimate salaries.
The organisation said it regretted the court's "legally questionable" ruling and that it would lodge an appeal. 'Questionable'
In May, a French magistrate had ruled that the case, which became known as the "ill-gotten gains" case, was admissible in a French court.
But representatives of the leaders had contested that ruling, saying that as civil society activists, Transparency International had no right to act as plaintiffs against heads of state.
The organisation said it regretted the court's "legally questionable" decision to throw out their case, and said it would lodge an appeal.
"This decision is all the more regrettable because it prevents the opening of a case even though there is no doubt that the holdings identified by the police could not have been made solely with the salaries and fees of the targeted heads of state," it said in a statement.
The group said the ruling showed that French law "still needs to evolve" to allow groups such as them to take legal action.
"Without that, we will continue to deprive victims of corruption of an indispensible means to guarantee their rights," it said.
Gabon and Republic of Congo are former French colonies, while Equatorial Guinea is a growing oil exporter.
Mr Bongo - who was African's longest-serving leader - died in June, but his family were still liable under Transparency International's case.