Arrested activist 'can leave Angola'

Angola’s attorney-general today said a British human rights activist arrested for alleged spying could leave the country, but may have to return to stand trial.

Sarah Wykes, arrested last month, was freed on bail after four days in detention, but was prohibited from leaving the south-west Africa country.

“She can leave today, tomorrow, whenever she wants,” said Attorney-General Augusto Carneiro.

Mr Carneiro said the police investigation into what Ms Wykes was doing in Angola would continue.

Once it was completed, authorities would decide whether to bring charges, he said.

Mr Carneiro declined to reveal details of the investigation, saying it was illegal to discuss ongoing police work. However, authorities previously have said she was suspected of espionage.

Ms Wykes was working for Global Witness – a private group that campaigns for human rights and focuses in particular on how the exploitation of natural resources in poor countries can fuel corruption and repression – when she was arrested in Angola’s oil-rich Cabinda region.

Her organisation said at the time the charges were unfounded and called for them to be dropped.

Angola, which is the largest sub-Saharan oil producer in Africa after Nigeria, joined Opec earlier this year.

Its crude production, most of it from offshore rigs operated by foreign companies, has climbed to around 1.4 million barrels a day, but is expected to reach two million barrels a day by next month.

Human rights groups have repeatedly accused Angolan officials of hiding oil revenues, making it impossible to know whether money is being stolen or wasted.

Global Witness was set up in 1993 and has offices in London and Washington.