US legal battle over ex-Mozambican Minister’s phone

If former Mozambican Finance Minister Manuel Chang’s cellphone has any incriminating evidence on it, his legal problems may have escalated. Chang, who has been detained since late 2018, first in SA and then in the US, tried to have the device returned to him in that country and evidence obtained through a search of it suppressed. However, the Daily Maverick reports that the Eastern District of New York Court last month denied his motion. It means that whatever was produced via a warrant that authorised a search of Chang’s cellphone could be used as evidence. The warrant related to certain ‘violations’ and was for all incoming and outgoing communications from March 2011 to ‘the present,’ as well as for information including names and bank accounts. Chang is reportedly set to go on trial in New York towards the end of July. The US Office of Public Affairs said the case involves two executives of a ship-building company, three former senior Mozambican Government officials, and three former London-based investment bankers for their roles in a $2bn global fraud and money laundering scheme. Chang was charged with conspiracy to commit crimes including wire fraud, securities fraud and money laundering. Among the allegations he faced was that in his capacity as Minister between 2005 and 2015, he had signed guarantees on behalf of Mozambique for three fraudulent loans.

Full Daily Maverick report