After lengthy anti-corruption investigations, a former first lady, an ex-finance minister and their business allies face trial, When former president Albert René died in 2019, his opponents said it was a pity he never stood trial for corruption. Notoriously ruthless, he ruled the islands as a one-party state after staging a Soviet-backed coup in 1977 until 1992. Then he held multi-party elections and stayed on as an elected leader for another 12 years.