(Feb. 28, 2014) On February 10, 2014, Angola’s National Assembly (the parliament) enacted Law No. 3, which further criminalizes money laundering offenses related to the financing of terrorism (Lei No. 3/14, de 10 de Fevereiro, Secretariat of the Council of Ministers of the Republic of Angola website [choose Legislação Complementar Relevante in category dropdown box and scroll down results to Lei No. 3/14 )
The purpose of Law No. 3 is to update the Angolan legal system so that it complies with international requirements, including the United Nations Convention Against Illicit Traffic in Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances (Dec. 20, 1988, the United Nations Convention Against Transnational Organized Crime (Nov. 15, 2000), and the International Convention for the Suppression of the Financing of Terrorism (Dec. 9, 1999) (all on the United Nations Treaty Collection website).
The new law determines, inter alia, that the relevant provisions of the Angolan Penal Code and other criminal laws are also applicable to the crimes provided for in Law No. 3 (Law No. 3. art. 2). Law No. 3 is applicable to acts practiced in Angolan territory by nationals and foreigners and defines the situations when the law is applicable to acts practiced abroad (id. art. 3).
Chapter 2 of Law No. 3 defines the crimes of criminal association (id. art. 8) and fraud (id. arts. 9-14) and their punishments. Subsequent chapters define crimes and the corresponding punishments for: crimes against personal freedom, including kidnapping (id. arts. 15, 16); trafficking in persons (id. arts. 19-23); trafficking of firearms and stolen goods (id. arts. 24 & 25); forgery (id. arts. 26-32); crimes against the environment (id. arts. 33-35); and corruption (id. arts. 36-42).