Gabon: Former first lady, Sylvia Bongo, charged with money laundering, other crimes

The wife of Gabon’s ousted President Ali Bongo has been charged with money laundering, receiving looted property, forgery, and the use of forgery.

On Friday, public prosecutor Andre Patrick Roponat said that the case of the wife of the deposed leader, Sylvia Bongo, had been presented to an investigating judge the day before. He further stated that the court had upheld her house arrest.

The charges against the former first lady come after weeks of speculation regarding Mrs Bongo’s whereabouts. She was placed under house arrest on August 30 following the military overthrow of her husband from power by the military.

The decision to charge the former first lady comes after her son Noureddin Bongo Valentin was also charged with corruption, and embezzlement and placed in pre-trial detention.

The junta has since released Mr Bongo and cleared him to travel abroad for medical attention when needed.

He had a stroke in 2018, and his health was a major source of anxiety for many as the presidential election in 2023 approached.

The army seized power immediately after he was declared the winner of that election, which the opposition had challenged.

Mr Bongo’s release was announced in response to mounting pressure from the regional bloc Eccas and neighbouring countries.