PARIS: The corruption trial of the son of Equatorial Guinea’s president started in his absence on Monday in France, where he is accused of buying real estate, sports cars and other luxury goods with public funds from his country.

Teodoro Nguema Obiang Mangue, who is also Equatorial Guinea’s second vice president, faces up to 10 years in prison if found guilty of corruption, money laundering and embezzlement.

Obiang’s lawyer, Emmanuel Marsigny, asked for a delay in the proceedings, arguing that his client was not given enough time to prepare a defence. It was unclear whether Obiang still was in France or had returned to Equatorial Guinea.

Marsigny said two months was insufficient to prepare a defence for a case that covered a 14-year period and to arrange testimony from witnesses living abroad.

“Believe me, Mr. Nguema is not a big-time bandit,” he said. “He just wants his rights observed.” Representing Transparency International, lawyer William Bourdon told the court that the trial should go as planned. He accused the defence of trying to “paralyse” the judicial system through a series of “opportunistic” and “malicious” maneuvers.

Equatorial Guinea argues that Obiang has diplomatic immunity, but the International Court of Justice, the United Nations’ highest court, last month declined to order France to halt the prosecution.

Obiang’s trial came after two non-governmental organisations targeting corruption and an association of Congolese citizens living abroad launched a lawsuit in France nearly 10 years ago.

Known in France as the case of the “ill-gotten gains,” the complaint claimed several African heads of state, including the late Gabon president Omar Bongo, embezzled state funds during or after their tenures to buy properties in France.

Published in Dawn January 3rd, 2017