Africa’s richest woman mourns husband
The husband of Africa’s richest woman, who was accused of helping to siphon US$1 billion from Angola’s state coffers, has died in a diving accident in Dubai.
Sindika Dokolo, 48, a Congolese businessman and art collector, was an experienced diver. A friend said he could not be revived after getting into trouble.
On Friday, the day of the accident, Isabel dos Santos, whose father, Jose Eduardo dos Santos, ruled Angola for 38 years until 2017, posted a selfie with her husband and one of their three children captioned: ‘‘My love.’’
Dokolo, son of the founder of the Bank of Kinshasa, was politically active in his homeland, the Democratic Republic of Congo, but his family said his passion was art. He collected more than 5000 works of contemporary African artists, championing the movement to restore African art and artefacts to museums on the continent where they originated.
However, he was best known for his marriage to dos Santos, 47. The couple met at King’s College London. and their wedding in 2002 was said to have cost £2.5 million.
They built a vast business empire from Africa to Hong Kong, the United States, Europe and the Middle East, with holdings in banks, cement, diamonds and oil. Their assets include a home in Dubai on an artificial island, a US$35m superyacht, and a US$55m mansion in Monte Carlo.
In January, an investigation identified a web of offshore businesses and shell companies linked to the couple that had dubious contracts. Reports suggested that they moved from London to the United Arab Emirates as allegations mounted against
them.
Prosecutors in Luanda allege that deals between the couple and Angola’s state-owned businesses cost the country more than US$1b. Angola is demanding compensation.
Dos Santos has said that the allegations of dishonesty against her and her husband are part of a vendetta waged by President Joao Lourenco, who succeeded her father in 2017.