Lionel
Messi received at least £2.4million in cash for supporting one of the
most corrupt dictators in Africa, it was claimed on Tuesday.The
28-year-old football superstar caused outrage at the weekend when he
arrived in Gabon, the former French colony, as a guest of president Ali
Bongo.
Wearing
Bermuda shorts and a T-shirt, and showing off his new tattoos, Messi
was officially laying the foundation stones for a new stadium in the
city of Port-Gentil.
But the
Barcelona and Argentina striker, who is facing trial for tax fraud in
Spain, also helped with the opening of a new Bongo family restaurant,
and showed full support for their regime.
‘People
are outraged about this,’ said an opposition source in the country,
which is regularly linked with corruption and human rights abuses.
‘Messi should do a bit of research into what Bongo represents.’
French
media reported that Messi was paid the equivalent of £2.4m for the
trip, which he took with his former Barcelona team-mate Deco.
A report in France Football reads: ‘The little African trip should bring in around 3.5 million euros. Not bad!’
However
Bongo attempted to explain Messi’s appearance. He said: ‘When I was in
Barcelona a few years ago, I met Messi who had told me that he would
come to visit me in Libreville.
‘It’s a promise he made me. He is a man of honour who just kept his word.’
Police
in France regularly investigate allegations of corruption against the
Bongo family, who are said to own up to 39 homes across the country,
including in Paris.
Ali Bongo Ondimba,
the current leader of Gabon is accused of plundering the nation’s
coffers for his personal use, and also of having committed electoral
fraud to remain in power.
A report by
the PowerIndex research organisation reads: ‘The Bongo family is alleged
to have skimmed off 25 percent of the oil-rich nation’s gross domestic
product over the years, and Omar was said to one of the world’s
wealthiest heads of state.
‘In 1999, a
US Senate investigation discovered 130 million dollars in his personal
bank accounts at Citibank, sourced from Gabon’s public finances.
‘A
French investigation into Elf Aquitaine was told that Omar received 50
million euros a year from the oil company. Other inquiries turned up
fleets of Ferraris, Lamborghinis and limousines in France, along with
huge real estate holdings.’
