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Portuguese court may issue an international arrest to Angola Vice President Manuel Vicente if he does not turn up in court. Manuel Vicente is facing a corruption trial in Portugal on charges of corruption, money-laundering and forgery.
Vicente is suspected of bribing a Portuguese magistrate to favor him in two investigations, a statement said. It said Vicente was at the time of the alleged crimes the head of Angolan state oil company Sonangol.
Though he denied the charges levelled against him, there are questions over whether he will appear in court.
Portugal's Publico website says that Mr Vicente's lawyer argued that the decision to go ahead with a trial does not apply to him as he was not formally notified of the decision.
The Observador website says that if the vice-president does not turn up then the court can issue an international arrest warrant, but Angola may not give him up.
It adds that he cannot be tried in absentia.
Vicente is suspected of bribing a Portuguese magistrate to favor him in two investigations, a statement said. It said Vicente was at the time of the alleged crimes the head of Angolan state oil company Sonangol.
Though he denied the charges levelled against him, there are questions over whether he will appear in court.
Portugal's Publico website says that Mr Vicente's lawyer argued that the decision to go ahead with a trial does not apply to him as he was not formally notified of the decision.
The Observador website says that if the vice-president does not turn up then the court can issue an international arrest warrant, but Angola may not give him up.
It adds that he cannot be tried in absentia.
