Ousted Gabon President Ali Bongo, Family Relocate to Angola After Release from 22-Month Detention
Sylvia and Noureddin Bongo were imprisoned last year on corruption charges following the military takeover that ended the Bongo family’s 56-year political dynasty. While they have yet to make public statements regarding the accusations, Sylvia Bongo’s legal team has consistently labelled her detention as “arbitrary and illegal.”
Their release follows a diplomatic visit by Angolan President João Lourenço—who currently chairs the African Union—to Gabon’s capital, Libreville, where he met with President Brice Oligui Nguema. Nguema, the former general who led the coup against Bongo, was formally elected president last month. It is still unclear whether legal proceedings against Sylvia and Noureddin will continue.
Ali Bongo, who succeeded his father Omar Bongo in 2009, ruled Gabon for 14 years before his government was overthrown. Following the coup, he was placed under house arrest, although Gabonese authorities maintained he was free to move about. His wife and son, however, were detained in prison until reports emerged last week indicating they had been transferred to house arrest.
In statements made since the coup, Bongo has condemned what he described as the “violence and torture” endured by his wife and son—allegations the Gabonese government has denied.
The Bongo family has long faced criticism over alleged corruption and the mismanagement of Gabon’s oil wealth. Despite the country’s substantial natural resources, around a third of its population lives below the poverty line, according to United Nations data.
