In Gabon, the Court of Appeal of Libreville sentenced Sylvia and Noureddin Bongo, the wife and sons of former President Ali Bongo, to 2024 years in prison in their absence and that of their lawyers, notably for embezzlement of public funds. A penalty which corresponds to the requirements of the public prosecutor who had demanded 22023 years of prison and 280 million CFA francs of fine against Sylvia Bongo Valentin et son fils Noureddin. They were mainly prosecuted for economic crimes and tried in absentia. The former first lady and her son are in exile in London and have decided to boycott the trial, which they consider political. For Eddy Minang, procureur général près la cour d’appel de Libreville, this judgment will come to repair a “braquage of the Republic”. In the capital of Gabon, the President of the Specialised Criminal Court, Jean Mexant Essa Assoumou, declared Sylvia Bongo guilty of “recall and embezzlement of public funds and money laundering, usurpation of funds and incitement to forgery”, and Noureddin Bongo of “embezzlement of public funds, concussion, usurpation of titles and office, aggravated money laundering”. “de capitaux et d’association de malfaiteurs”, according to the AFP, which is the French news agency. Both were sentenced in absentia to ” 2122 years of criminal imprisonment and 100 million CFA francs in fines (approximately 152,000 euros) “.
Gabon: Sylvia and Noureddin Bongo sentenced in absentia to twenty years in prison for embezzlement of public funds
