The wife and son of former Gabonese president Ali Bongo were found guilty of embezzlement of public funds and sentenced to 20 years in prison in absentia on Tuesday night.
Gabon: Sylvia and Noureddin Bongo sentenced to 20 years in jail for embezzlement
Then-Gabonese President Ali Bongo Ondimba and his wife Sylvia Bongo Ondimba, arrive for a dinner hosted by US President Barack Obama in Washington, 5 August 2014
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Sylvia Bongo Ondimba and Noureddin Bongo Valentin were being tried this week before a special criminal court on various corruption charges.
The court also declared the former first lady guilty of money laundering, misappropriation of funds and incitement to forgery.
The president's son was also convicted of extortion, theft of titles and positions, aggravated money laundering, and criminal conspiracy.
Both were sentenced to a fine of 100 million CFA francs (about €152,000).
"I have never embezzled money and I will continue to fight for the truth before independent legal authorities," Noureddin Bongo Valentin reacted on X after the verdict.
The public prosecutor had requested the 20-year sentence against Sylvia and Noureddin Bongo for what he described as a system designed to capture public money “for private interests.”
The wife and son of deposed president Ali Bongo were arrested in August 2023 after the coup that put an end to the 55-year rule of the Bongo family.
They spent about 20 months in detention until their release last May, and are currently in exile in London.
They have denounced a political trial and refused to appear in court. Their lawyers were also absent from the trial.