By RFIPosted on 17-12-2019Changed on 17-12-2019 at 23:08

On the last day of Teodorin Obiang's appeal trial in the so-called "ill-gotten gains" case, and while the Advocate General requested four years in prison and a fine of 30 million euros, the lawyers for the vice -President of Equatorial Guinea asked for release.

" Your decision should not be based on emotions, passion or morals, as has been the case so far in this case," said the three defense lawyers , " but only on the law . "

Me Tomo first asked the court to declare itself incompetent, in view of the immunity which Téodorin Obiang should enjoy. " There is a total schizophrenia, added Me Marsigny, so that the vice-president is the interlocutor of the French authorities for military cooperation, while French justice does not recognize him the impunity due to his function. "

" Teodorin Obiang in good faith since he never tried to hide "

The trio also tried to dismantle each of the four charges, with a central argument: for Teodorin Obiang to be prosecuted in France for the laundering of an offense , the facts of origin must also be considered as a offense in Equatorial Guinean law.

Thus, the laundering of corruption falls, argued the defense, because the crime of corruption did not exist in Equatorial Guinea before 2018. Ditto for the laundering of embezzlement of public funds since this type of embezzlement, in the Equatorial Guinean texts , only applies to civil servants. Exit also, for similar reasons, laundering of abuse of corporate assets and breach of trust.

And Me Tomo insisted: " who says laundering says concealment: Teodorin Obiang is in good faith since he never tried to conceal. How to hide Avenue Foch ? The 30 luxury cars in front of Parisian hotels? ". All pleaded for release.

►Also to read : "Ill-gotten gains": required prison sentence against Teodorin Obiang

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