Congo charges oil fraud suspects

By Joseph Gouala in Brazzaville

Fifty people connected to the Congolese oil company Hydrocongo have been charged in connection with massive oil fraud in which government ministers are also being implicated.

They are accused of stealing petroleum products from Hydrocongo and selling them for personal profit at vastly inflated prices.

Judges have asked President Nguesso if they can interview the ministers

The suspects were arrested in Brazzaville and Pointe Noire. Ten are being held in Brazzaville central jail, while 40 others arrested in Point Noire are being transferred to the capital.

A number of government ministers, former ministers and army chiefs are also suspected of being involved, though none of them have so far been arrested or charged.

Last week, two army officers were questioned but allowed to go free. Others are expected to be questioned in the coming days.

Investigating magistrates have asked President Sassou Nguesso to allow them to interview eight ministers and three ex-ministers.

Oil shortages

Police say they have uncovered a vast network of illegal sales of oil products.

They believe that employees of Hydrocongo, an oil distribution company, have been diverting supplies and storing them in private warehouses, before selling them on the local market at inflated prices.

Police believe that the operation has been on such a large scale that senior government and security officials must have been involved.

Despite Congo being the fourth largest producer of of oil in sub-saharan Africa, it has often suffered oil shortages.

But police say that since making the arrests there have been few problems with supplies.