Africa-Press – Angola. This Monday was a “psychological torture” for the lawyers defending the defendants involved in the process called “Case Lussati”, taking place at the Talatona Conference Center (CCTA), in Luanda. The session, scheduled for 9 am, did not begin until eight hours later, with the reading of the prosecution’s indictment. Three hours later, the session ended.
Early in the morning, the CCTA registered a huge frame, made up of family members, lawyers, journalists and a strong apparatus from Defense and Security bodies. At the entrance, in the main room of the CCTA, it was done in a very restricted way and under strong security measures.
At the time set for the beginning of the hearing, Judge Andrade da Silva, without being present in the room, instructed the bailiff to read an order issued at the time, in which he ordered the removal from the room of all lawyers who had left the previous hearing, due to disagreements between the Court and the lawyers.
Panic took over the room and most lawyers refused to leave the room. The forces of order intervened and demanded the withdrawal of all people, leaving the space clear. Everyone stayed at the main entrance of the CCTA room. Every morning was consumed with negotiations between lawyers and the court. Not even the presence of the representative of the Angolan Bar Association softened the atmosphere.
The court’s authority prevailed. Judge Andrade da Silva instructed the bailiff to read the names of the lawyers who would be allowed to enter the courtroom. The few lawyers who entered were called one by one, searched and only then entered. Most stayed out.
The judge appointed a trainee lawyer, João Mbua, as an officious defender of 15 defendants who were left without attorneys. João Mbua, visibly pleased by the appointment, told that he had already gone to the Viana jail where the defendants are, but underlined that contact with them was not good.
“The defendants were more concerned about their previous lawyers, they did not receive me well”, lamented the lawyer, explaining that it should not be interpreted as if he was doing unfair competition to colleagues, since it was the Court who indicated him. He took the opportunity to criticize the attitude of the lawyers of the 15 defendants: “the colleagues did not behave well, you do not abandon the defendant in the middle of the trial”.
João Mbua admitted that he was facing a “complex process”, but also said that it was “a normal process”, like any other. Magistrate Andrade da Silva, asked if the other lawyers included in the powers of attorney could not continue the defense of the defendants, sent the order to the Public Prosecutor’s Office for an opinion at the next session.
Reading the indictment took about three hours. The Public Ministry accuses the defendants, with Major Pedro Lussati at their head, of committing various crimes, such as embezzlement, criminal association, undue receipt of an advantage, economic participation in a business, abuse of power, fraud in the transport of currency abroad and illicit introduction of foreign currency into the country.
The indictment read by two public prosecutors, alternately, also highlights that the defendants committed the crimes of illegal currency trade, prohibition of cash payments, retention of currency, falsification of documents, money laundering and assumption or assignment of false identity.
After the indictment had been read and given the lateness of the hour and fatigue, Judge Andrade da Silva adjourned the hearing and scheduled it for tomorrow, at 9 am.
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