Political factionalism may decide Angolan court cases

Significance

This nullified an April ruling by the Constitutional Court that dismissed the sentence on both procedural and evidentiary grounds. Beyond having wider implications for prosecuting corruption in the country, the case also appears to reflect political factionalism playing out within the judiciary.

Impacts

• Capacity shortfalls in the legal system will deter foreign investment.
• Foreign arbitration courts may take an outsized role in adjudicating investment disputes.
• Despite their differences, both top courts will defend the MPLA in case of challenges to the 2027 election results.