Jailed Angolan Billionaire Carlos So Vicente Taken To Luanda Clinic For Urgent Medical Checks

Carlos Manuel de So Vicente, once one of Angolas most influential businessmen and now serving a lengthy sentence for economic crimes, has been admitted to a Luanda hospital for medical checks, his lawyers said rekindling debate about his health and treatment in custody. According to his legal team, the 70-year-old was transferred on Monday, 29 September, from prison to the Girassol Clinic in the capital for what they described as comprehensive medical evaluation and diagnostic tests performed by specialists in various fields. They cited respect for privacy in declining to give details of his condition. The admission, however, has revived scrutiny of the case of a man once at the centre of Angolas oil-linked financial system. From oil deal-maker to convicted tycoon So Vicente made his fortune in the 1990s and 2000s by building a near-monopoly in Angolas energy insurance business. Through a network of companies, including AAA Seguros, he handled billions of dollars in premiums for Angolas state-backed oil operations, becoming a linchpin between the oil sector and international reinsurers. That dominance unravelled after a change of political leadership. In 2020 Angolan prosecutors accused him of embezzling state funds and laundering more than 900 million abroad. He was arrested later that year and in 2022 was convicted of economic crimes including embezzlement and fraud, receiving a nine-year prison sentence. His lawyers have consistently protested the charges and the length of the sentence. Routine check or warning sign ? The Penitentiary Service, seeking to calm speculation, said So Vicente undergoes monthly medical evaluations and that the latest visit was part of that routine. Agostinho Chiteculo, the services communications director, told state media that the businessman stayed overnight at the clinic simply to enable early-morning fasting tests. There is no confirmation that his health has worsened, Chiteculo said. According to the medical team that monitors Dr So Vicente, there is no reason for alarm. The explanation has done little to quiet interest. The former tycoon has been in custody for five years and his wealth and past influence have kept his case in the public eye. A symbol of Angolas graft crackdown So Vicentes conviction was hailed by President Joo Lourenos administration as a landmark in its high-profile anti-corruption drive, aimed at reining in the networks that had flourished during the long rule of former president Jos Eduardo dos Santos. Critics say the campaign has been uneven and often selective, while supporters point to the case as proof that even Angolas once-untouchable elite can be held accountable. Whether the recent clinic admission signals genuine health problems or not, it again highlights the personal toll of Angolas post-dos Santos clean-up and the fragility of a figure once considered emblematic of the countrys oil-era boom.