MISSING MONEY

Mozambique ‘hidden debt’ scandal: Ex-president’s son and 10 officials found guilty

By Jeune Afrique

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Posted on December 8, 2022 13:08

© Ndambi Guebuza, son of the former president of Mozambique Armando Guebuza, is seen during court proceedings at the Maputo Central Prison, on November 30, 2022. (Photo by Alfredo Zuniga / AFP) — Ndambi Guebuza, son of the former president of Mozambique Armando Guebuza, is seen during court proceedings at the Maputo Central Prison, on November 30, 2022. (Photo by Alfredo Zuniga / AFP)

Ndambi Guebuza, the son of a former president, was sentenced to prison on 7 December alongside 10 public officials who were also implicated in the “hidden debt” corruption scandal, which plunged Mozambique into a serious financial crisis.

A special court set up in a white tent in a Maputo prison courtyard delivered its verdict nearly 10 years after the scandal broke. The case involves hidden loans worth $2bn, which were granted by foreign banks to Mozambican public companies, which were guaranteed by the state, officially for fishing equipment and maritime surveillance contracts.

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