Mozambique 'tuna bond' minister handed over to US

Manuel Chang has been in detention in South Africa for five years and denies any wrongdoing

Former Mozambican Finance Minister Manuel Chang has been handed over to the FBI to face fraud and corruption charges in the US.

Mr Chang has been in prison in South Africa since December 2018. He denies any wrongdoing.

He was handed over to the FBI on 12 July, according to the spokesman for South Africa’s Justice and Correctional Services Ministry, Chrispin Phiri.

"This was after a provisional arrest warrant was issued by the US. Both the US and the Republic of Mozambique requested Chang's extradition on various charges," added Mr Phiri.

He was in charge of Mozambique's finances when the country guaranteed more than $2bn (£1.5bn) in secret borrowing by state-owned firms.

It was the country's biggest corruption scandal and led to economic collapse.

It is alleged that the money was used to buy a large tuna factory, among other things, leading to the affair being dubbed the "tuna bond" scandal.

So far, 11 people, including the son of former Mozambican President Armando Guebuza, Armando Ndambi Guebuza, have been convicted over their roles in the scheme.

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Former Mozambican Finance Minister

Fraud

Manuel Chang