**A French appeals court has halted a lawsuit against three African leaders accused of embezzlement.**Anti-corruption group Transparency International had accused the leaders of using African public funds to buy luxury homes and cars in France.
But the court ruled the activists could not act against foreign heads of state.
Denis Sassou-Nguesso of Republic of Congo, Teodoro Obiang Nguema of Equatorial Guinea and the late Omar Bongo of Gabon denied any wrongdoing.
Gabon and Republic of Congo are former French colonies, while Equatorial Guinea is a growing oil exporter.
A 2007 French police investigation found the leaders and their relatives owned homes in upmarket areas of Paris and on the Riviera along with luxury cars, including Bugattis, Ferraris and Maseratis.
Mr Bongo died in June, but his family were still liable under Transparency International’s case.