A Gabon court has sentenced Sylvia Bongo, the former first lady, and her son Noureddin Bongo to 20 years in prison following a two-day corruption trial. They were found guilty of embezzlement and other charges for allegedly exploiting ex-president Ali Bongo’s ill health to siphon state funds.
The court delivered the verdict on Wednesday, imposing 20-year prison terms on Sylvia Bongo, 62, and Noureddin Bongo, 33, who were tried in absentia. The trial, which began on Tuesday and concluded swiftly, found them guilty of embezzlement and corruption charges. Both defendants were also fined 100 million CFA francs each, approximately $177,000, with Noureddin facing an additional order to pay 1.2 trillion CFA francs, about $2.1 billion, for financial damages to the state.
The charges stem from allegations that Sylvia and Noureddin Bongo exploited Ali Bongo’s condition after he suffered a serious stroke in 2018 to effectively run Gabon for their personal profit. Prosecutors argued that they manipulated the former president to embezzle taxpayers’ money during his 14-year rule. The pair denied all charges, with Noureddin previously describing the trial as a ‘legal farce’ in an interview with AFP.
Ali Bongo was ousted in a military coup on August 30, 2023, led by General Brice Oligui Nguema, who has since been elected president. The Bongo family had ruled Gabon for over 55 years, with Ali Bongo succeeding his father, Omar Bongo, who governed for 42 years. The coup occurred moments after Bongo was declared the winner of a presidential election that the army and opposition denounced as fraudulent.
Following the coup, Sylvia and Noureddin Bongo were arrested and detained in Gabon for 20 months before being released in May of this year and permitted to leave the country for London on medical grounds. They have alleged that they suffered torture during their detention. Ali Bongo himself was released from house arrest and is not facing prosecution, according to authorities.
The trial saw ten former allies of the Bongos also facing charges of complicity in embezzlement. While Sylvia and Noureddin were absent, nine co-accused were present in court as proceedings began. Prosecutor Eddy Minang stated that witness testimonies revealed a system of diverting public funds for private interests. The trial for the other defendants is expected to continue until Friday.
This sentencing marks a significant step in the post-coup accountability efforts in Gabon, a nation rich in oil but where about a third of the population lives in poverty. The case highlights ongoing issues of corruption and governance in the central African country. The swift trial and severe sentences may signal the new government’s commitment to addressing past abuses, though critics question the fairness of the proceedings.
With the main defendants sentenced, attention now turns to the ongoing trial of the other accused, which could reveal more details about the alleged corruption network. The outcome may influence Gabon’s political landscape and its relations with international partners, as the country seeks to stabilize after years of Bongo family rule.
