Times Of Swaziland: US stops sale of MJ’s glove to Minister Obiang

US stops sale of MJ’s glove to Minister Obiang
================================================================================
BY WELCOME DLAMINI on 20/08/2013 02:33:00


MBABANE – Equatorial Guniea Minister Teodorin Nguema Obiang Mangue has bought
the white gem-encrusted glove of the late Michael Jackson.
However, the United States Government has gone to court to stop the glove
falling into Teodorin’s hands. Teodorin is the son of Equatorial Guinea
President Teodoro Obiang Nguema Mbasogo and has visited Swaziland a number of
times. He was the King’s guest during the 2011 Reed Dance Ceremony and it was
during that visit that over E2 million was stolen from his hotel room.
The police later arrested a suspect who is presently behind bars. Teodorin was
also part of his father’s delegation when he came to Swaziland on a State
visit. It was after that visit that police officers from Equatorial Guinea came
to Swaziland for training and they are still undergoing that exercise.
According to Sky News, the US Government believes that Teodorin allegedly used
‘dirty money’ to purchase Jackson’s coveted glove.  It is reported that
Teodorin bought the glove three years ago, when he purchased a number of items
from Michael Jackson’s estate.
Sky News wrote: “The latest hearing in the 28-month-old case – ‘United
States of America v One White Crystal-Covered ‘Bad Tour’ Glove and Other
Michael Jackson Memorabilia’ - will be heard in a Los Angeles courtroom on
Monday.”
In April 2012, a California judge is reported to have thrown out the US
Government’s case, saying it had failed to prove that Teodorin had allegedly
amassed his fortune by illegal means in Equatorial Guinea, where he had never
been charged with any crime. The US has now been allowed to file an amended
version of its complaint.
Teodorin’s lawyers are said to have argued in a brief filed last month that
the US still has no grounds to retain his pop souvenirs. “The government still
has not identified a single victim of extortion or bribery,” the papers said.
“In short, all that the government has is evidence that (the) Claimant spent
money. Where the money came from is a matter of pure speculation.”