Gabon court jails Ali Bongo’s wife, son in sweeping graft case

A Gabonese court has sentenced former First Lady Sylvia Bongo Ondimba and her son, Noureddin Bongo Valentin, to 20 years in prison after finding them guilty of embezzling public funds and abuse of office.

The sentence, delivered on Wednesday after a two-day trial in Libreville, marks a dramatic fall from grace for the once-powerful Bongo family that ruled the oil-rich Central African nation for over five decades. Both Sylvia, 62, and Noureddin, 33, were tried in absentia.

Prosecutors accused the pair of manipulating former president Ali Bongo, who suffered a major stroke in 2018, to seize control of state finances and divert huge sums for personal enrichment.

The court found them guilty of “embezzlement of public funds, money laundering, forgery, and use of forged documents.” The ruling follows months of investigation by Gabon’s transitional government led by General Brice Oligui Nguema, who toppled Bongo in a military coup in August 2023 after a disputed election.

Noureddin denounced the verdict as politically motivated, describing it as “a legal farce” in an interview with AFP. He claimed the outcome was predetermined by the military regime, which he accused of coercing witnesses. “This is a political conviction by a justice system taking orders from the executive branch,” he said.

Sylvia and Noureddin, who both hold French citizenship, were arrested shortly after the coup and detained for nearly 20 months before being released in May on medical grounds. They are currently in London, from where they continue to deny any wrongdoing.

Their lawyers insist the trial was unfair, noting that both were absent and denied the opportunity to defend themselves. The family also claims Sylvia and Noureddin were “repeatedly and violently tortured” during their detention, allegations the Gabonese authorities have rejected.

Prosecutor Eddy Minang, however, said the case exposed a vast network of corruption under the Bongo regime, revealing how public funds were systematically diverted “for private interests.” Ten other senior officials from the former administration are still on trial for complicity.

Ali Bongo, who ruled Gabon for 14 years after succeeding his father, Omar Bongo, in 2009, is not facing charges. The elder Bongo had led the country for 42 years until his death, cementing one of Africa’s longest political dynasties.

General Oligui, who was sworn in as president in April, has vowed to restore integrity to public life and ensure accountability, denying that the prosecution of the Bongos is politically driven.