Mozambique government ‘spent millions’ to block finance minister’s trial

An anti-corruption organisation has alleged that the Mozambique government paid lawyers approximately $1.6m to prevent former finance minister Manuel Chang from facing trial in the United States. 

The Centre of Public Integrity (CIP) published invoices this week, which show that Mozambique’s Attorney General’s Office employed a South African law firm to fight for the return of Mr Chang to Mozambique, rather than face extradition to the US. The CIP argues that the government is motivated by a desire to stop more information of the former finance minister’s hidden debts being exposed to the public. 

Mr Chang has been detained in South Africa since December 2018 over bribery claims. The US is seeking to extradite him over loans Mr Chang signed in 2013 and 2014, totalling some $2bn. The money was used in part to buy massively overvalued boats in what has become known as the tuna bond scandal. Mr Chang denies any wrongdoing. 

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