Ebony-Shine

The Public Prosecutor has rightly seized the "Ebony Shine" in 2016. This was now determined the court in Zwolle. The yacht is owned by Teodoro Nguema Obiang Mangue, the son of the president of Equatorial Guinea. The Swiss are investigating corruption by the presidential son and asked to arrest the shp. The African country alleged that the yacht was not owned by the son but by the Ministry of Defense. A Swiss court already had ruled that the ship is not the republic's own. That ruling was used the judges in Zwolle as a guide. The yacht is detained in Harlingen since January 2017.

The "Ebony Shine" was confiscated by Dutch authorities on behalf of the Swiss government. The Government of Equatorial Guinea started a legal procedure in the Netherlands, at a Court in the Dutch town of Zwolle. The Ambassador of EG was present at the court. The Government of EG demands that the yacht should be released by Dutch authorities, claiming that the yacht was actually owned by the Armed Forces of Equatorial Guinea and that the yacht is part of the country’s defense system. The Dutch authorities replied that the yacht’s schedule included ‘diving and swimming’, which is a bit strange for a defense vessel. Also a document was found on board mentioning the ‘owners birthday’, which was actually the birthday of Teodoro Obiang Mangue. The Government of EG claimed that both Obiang Mangue and the yacht should receive ‘immunity’. The Dutch court will rule in April 2017.

The "Ebony Shine" was transferred under police escort from IJmuiden to Den Helder on Dec 4, 2016, and was berthed in the naval base Willemsoord. The yacht was put under arrest at the request of yacht builder Feadship, for an unpaid bill after the just completed refit.