Senior justice ministry officials from Switzerland and Angola have discussed closer cooperation in a major international case of suspected corruption. The Swiss authorities have blocked around $150 million (CHF150 million) in assets held by the Angolan National Bank and the Angolan sovereign wealth fund amid ongoing criminal proceedings involving an Angolan-Swiss businessman, Jean-Claude Bastos. In talks with Angola’s attorney-general, Hélder Fernando Pitta Groz on Thursday, Swiss counterpart Michael Lauber stressed the importance of coordinated action between law enforcement authorities in the fight against corruption, according to the Swiss attorney-general’s office. “There can be greater mutual support when each country has better understanding of the prosecution specific to the other, particularly with regard to the legal principles by which money laundering proceedings are conducted in Switzerland,” a press release said. Pitta Groz told the Tages-Anzeiger newspaper group ...
