Image copyright AFP

The Vice-president of Equatorial Guinea, Teodorin Obiang Nguemais undergoing trial for corruption related charges.

Equatorial Guinea, a small country on the west coast of Africa, struck oil in 1995 but most of its population still lives in poverty.

Obiang is accused of buying a mansion and sports cars in France with a fortune amassed from oil-rich Equatorial Guinea’s public funds has gone trial in absentia in France.

The trial is the first since France started investigating African leaders accused of illegally acquiring wealth, BBC reports.

It comes after a nearly decade-long campaign by anti-corruption groups demanding that France act against leaders suspected of stashing their “ill-gotten gains” in Europe.

Mr Obiang’s six-storey Paris villa, estimated to be worth more than $100m (£80m), is located on Avenue Foch, in one the most prestigious neighbourhoods of the French capital. It boasts a cinema, spa, hair salon and taps covered in gold leaf, AFP news agency reports.

Mr Obiang’s lawyer, Emmanuel Marsigny, requested the court to delay the trial, saying he needed more time to prepare his client’s defence.

“Believe me, Mr Nguema is not a big-time bandit. He just wants his rights observed,” the Associated Press news agency quotes Mr Marsigny as saying.

Image copyright AFP

The Transparency International’s lawyer William Bourdon told the court that the trial should proceed and the defence was trying to “paralyse” the judicial system through “opportunistic” and “malicious” manoeuvres, AP reports.

The West African state’s government launched a bid at the International Court of Justice to prevent the trial from going ahead, arguing Mr Obiang had diplomatic immunity. Nevertheless, The United Nations’ court turned down the request last month.

In November, Swiss authorities seized 11 cars belonging to Mr Obiang, accusing him of money-laundering.

Among them was reportedly a Porsche valued at more than $830,000 and a Bugatti Veyron which sells for $2m.

Image copyrightAFP

BBC reports that in 2014, Mr Obiang agreed to surrender a Malibu mansion, a Ferrari and Michael Jackson memorabilia as part of a settlement with US authorities.

The US had filed claims against his US-based assets worth more than $70m, alleging they were proceeds of corruption.

Its President, Teodoro Obiang Nguema, is Africa’s longest serving leader.

He seized power in 1979, and promoted his son to the post of vice-president in 2012.

Mr Obiang has always said that “he earned the money legally in his country,” Mr Marsigny told AFP.