London, March 19, 2018 (AltAfrika)-Britain’s National Crime Agency (NCA) said on Monday 500 million dollars frozen in the UK as part of an ongoing investigation into a potential fraud against Angola’s central bank can be returned to the southern African country.

“The necessary authority has now been provided for the monies to be returned to the Angolan Authorities,” an emailed response to questions said.

Angolan Attorney’s General Office confirmed last week that the former governor of the Angolan Central Bank, Valter Silva, was under investigation and prevented from leaving the country due to an alleged illicit transfer of 500 million U.S. dollars abroad.

According to the deputy Attorney-General, Joao Coelho, the former governor of the central bank of Angola is indicted for the crime of embezzlement and money laundering.

The former bank chief is accused of being involved in an illicit transfer of 500 million dollars to an account at the Credit Suisse Bank in London, UK, in September 2017, weeks before long-term president Jose Eduardo dos Santos left power.

The banking operation was considered suspicious by the British NCA Agency which initiated the investigation.

The deputy Attorney-General said that the Angolan Ministry of Finance and the National Bank of Angola are working with the British authorities for the return of the money to Angola.

A team from NCA has been in Angola since the end of 2017, having held several meetings with the Angolan government.

(Reuters)