The President of the Republic, João Lourenço, said this Wednesday that the Angolan justice system is increasingly dynamic, active and fulfilling the role expected of it.
When intervening in the inauguration ceremony of new judges of the Supreme Court (TS), the Head of State demanded integrity from the magistrates, in favour of the Angolan justice reputation.
Speaking to the inductees, the Head of Executive considered the events that culminated in the resignation of the Chairwoman of the Court of Audits, Exalgina Gambôa, to be regrettable.
The Court of Audits’ former president, Exalgina Gambôa, was accused of crimes of embezzlement, extortion and corruption.
João Lourenço stated, on the occasion, that in the face of public denunciations against the management of the then presiding judge of the Court of Audits, the Public Prosecution Department did not ignore them, and is carrying out its work.
The Angolan Head of State underlined that following the case “it came to discover, later, irrefutable facts much more serious than those of the public denunciation imputed to the same counsellor judge”.
According to President João Lourenço, the allegations point to an attempt to extort, by the magistrate, the minister of Energy and Waters, and the minister Mineral Resources, Oil and Gas.
According to the statesman, the magistrate summoned the Minister of Mineral Resources, Oil and Gas to her office to ask him for one percent of the share capital of the Lobito refinery, Benguela province.
João Lourenço considered the attempts of the then chief of the Court of Audits “out of the ordinary” and “impossible in today’s Angola”, which has as its main governance banner the fight against corruption and impunity.
The Head of State recalled that in view of the situation, and with a view to guaranteeing the regular functioning of the State bodies, he invited the aforementioned Counsellor Judge to resign from her post, and was subsequently indicted by the Public Prosecutor’s Office.
Still linked to what he considered “troublesome moments” experienced by the Angolan justice, at the time of the opening of the Judicial Year, President João Lourenço also referred to some suspicions over the Supreme Court.
In this regard, João Lourenço made it known that the Public Ministry is also working on establishing the truth of the facts.
“Let us calmly await the progress of the ongoing work being carried out by the Attorney General’s Office”, he said.
From a court official, continued the President of the Republic, exemplary behaviour at work and in society is expected.
This Wednesday, at the Presidential Palace, in Luanda, the Angolan Head of State swore in eight justices of the Supreme Court.
Source: Angola Press News Agency (APNA)
