The Court of Appeal in London has determined that Mozambican President Filipe Nyusi cannot face legal action in Britain regarding allegations of accepting unlawful payments within Mozambique’s legal proceedings concerning the prolonged “tuna bond” scandal. This decision came to light on Thursday.
Privinvest, an Emirati-Lebanese shipbuilder, sought to involve Nyusi in a $3.1-billion lawsuit initiated by Mozambique, accusing Privinvest of bribing officials and Credit Suisse bankers.
London’s High Court is yet to deliver its verdict on the case subsequent to a trial conducted last year. Mozambique reached a settlement with Credit Suisse’s new owner UBS (UBSG.S) on the eve of the trial in October.
In the lead-up to last year’s trial, the High Court determined that Privinvest’s lawsuit against Nyusi was not properly served, affirming his entitlement to immunity as a head of state.
Privinvest aimed to litigate against Nyusi for purportedly accepting $11 million in unlawful campaign contributions from Privinvest, which asserts the payments were legitimate. The company contends that if the court deems the payments illicit, Nyusi should bear responsibility for any resulting damages.
However, the Court of Appeal’s ruling on Thursday established that Nyusi was not duly served with the case. Judge Julian Flaux, in a written judgment, underscored Nyusi’s immunity from the jurisdiction of the English courts while serving as the head of state of Mozambique.
(Reuters)
