Sindika Dokolo, the husband of Africa’s richest woman, Angolan Isabel dos Santos, has died at the age of 48.
Mr Dokolo’s family confirmed that he had died in Dubai on Thursday.
Friends said he had been involved in a scuba diving accident.
Mr Dokolo and his wife have been under investigation by the Angolan authorities for allegedly diverting more than $1bn (£770m) of state funds.
The Dokolo family, his wife, children, mother, brother and sisters have the deepest sorrow and immense sadness to announce the passing of Sindika Dokolo,which occurred on October 29, 2020 in Dubai.We thank all who have expressed their sympathy and kindness and who share our grief pic.twitter.com/r5VgCt3P9V
— Sindika Dokolo (@sindika_dokolo) October 30, 2020
Ms Dos Santos is the daughter of the former president of Angola, José Eduardo dos Santos.
The couple had denied wrongdoing, and insisted they were the victims of a political vendetta.
Mr Dokolo, who was born in Kinshasa and raised in Belgium and France, was a prolific art collector, amassing thousands of contemporary African works.
