In a story that explains a great deal less than it should, Lusa reports that ‘the man close to former Guinea-Bissau President Sissoco Embaló, who was detained at Figo Maduro airport yesterday – after €5 million in cash was found in his luggage – has been released ‘without going to court’.
A source for PJ judicial police told the state news agency this was because “the main crime of which he is suspected (smuggling) is punishable by a maximum sentence of less than five years in prison”.
Yesterday, the inference was that the man was also suspected of money-laundering.
If this is no longer the case, then why is it that the money ‘seized from his luggage’ has not been returned?
If it has, Lusa is certainly not saying. Its report today continues to refer to the money ‘discovered’ having been seized.
Other news sources have been less coy about ‘the man’s’ identity: he is businessman Tito Gomes Fernandes, says RTP and Correio da Manhã – and he was travelling with Sissoco Embaló’s wife and sister-in-law.
Neither woman was arrested, and it appears that their arrival here has to do with a plan to claim political asylum.
A self-styled “high military command” seized power in Guinea-Bissau on November 26, three days after the African country’s general (presidential and legislative) elections and one day before the announced date for the release of the results.
The opposition, and international figures, have claimed that the coup was staged by Embaló himself for allegedly having been defeated at the polls. It appears to have been a ruse for preventing the release of results and arbitrarily arresting several figures who supported the candidate claiming victory, Fernando Dias.
Among those still detained is Domingos Simões Pereira, leader of the African Party for the Independence of Guinea-Bissau and Cabo Verde (PAIGC), while Fernando Dias has taken refuge in the Nigerian embassy in Bissau.
After being removed from office, Sissoco Embaló left Guinea Bissau on November 28 for Dakar, Senegal, and a few days later left that country for Brazzaville, Congo.
On December 4, information circulated on social media that he had travelled to Morocco the day before.
Sissoco Embaló is a former African leader who has sought to consolidate ties with Russia/ Vladimir Putin.
Source: LUSA
