Property tied Congo president's family seized

“Seizures were carried out after a thorough financial investigation established a direct link with several members of Sassou Nguesso's family.”

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Paris - French judges have ordered the seizure of a property tied to the family of Republic of Congo President Denis Sassou Nguesso in an investigation over suspected ill-gotten wealth, a source at the prosecutor's office said on Tuesday.

Congo's long-ruling leader is among a number of African leaders targeted by a long-running French investigation into alleged illicit financial holdings in France.

William Bourdon, a lawyer for Transparency International France, the organisation that brought the case, said two properties were involved.

“The seizures were carried out after a thorough financial investigation established a direct link with several members of Sassou Nguesso's family,” he said.

A lawyer for Congo authorities was not available to comment.

The French investigation, which dates back to a complaint made in 2008, also targeted President Teodoro Obiang Nguema of Equatorial Guinea as well as the late Omar Bongo, Gabon's then-president and the father of current President Ali Ben Bongo.

The presidents deny any wrongdoing.

Sassou Nguesso, 71, who has ruled oil-producing Congo in two separate spells in office spanning 32 years, told the French courts in 2013 not to intervene in Congo's internal affairs.

Tens of thousands of Congolese took to the streets of the capital Brazzaville on Sunday to voice their opposition to possible constitutional changes that would allow Sassou Nguesso to extend his rule in elections next year.

Reuters