Gabon’s former first lady, Sylvia Bongo, and her son, Noureddin Bongo, will not return to Libreville to face trial on charges of embezzling public funds, their French lawyer said on Wednesday.
The pair, currently on conditional bail in London, were set to stand trial in Gabon’s capital on November 10, following the August 2023 coup that ended the Bongo family’s 55-year rule.
However, their lawyer, Pierre-Olivier Sur, dismissed the upcoming proceedings as “a show trial,” saying his clients “cannot be expected to return to the custody of their tormentors.”
Sur and co-counsel François Zimeray argued that the trial was “procedurally unrealistic,” as neither Sylvia nor Noureddin had officially received a court summons at their London address, learning of the case only “through the press.”
The lawyers accused Gabon’s military-led government of exerting political pressure on the judiciary. “We understand prosecutors and judges are under immense pressure to appease President Brice Oligui Nguema with a quick show trial, regardless of legal procedure,” Sur said.
Last July, the Bongo family circulated a video purportedly showing a Gabonese judge admitting to “pressure” from junta members to pursue the charges.
Sylvia Bongo, 62, was placed under house arrest after the coup before being jailed on allegations of money laundering, forgery, and falsification of records. Her son, Noureddin, 33, was also detained, with both later claiming they were tortured while in custody.
The two, who hold dual French citizenship, were released in May and allowed to leave Gabon. They have since filed a case in France accusing Gabonese authorities of arbitrary detention and torture.
President Brice Oligui Nguema, who officially took office in April, has denied the torture allegations and insisted that the Bongos will receive a fair trial.
