In a landmark ruling, Gabon’s special criminal court has sentenced former first lady Sylvia Bongo and her son, Noureddin Bongo Valentin, to 20 years in prison for a series of high-profile crimes. The duo, tried in absentia, faced charges including embezzlement of public funds, money laundering, criminal association, and forgery. The court also issued arrest warrants and ordered them to pay millions in damages for crimes against the Gabonese state. The verdict, delivered late Tuesday, was met with criticism from Valentin, who labeled the trial a “predetermined formality” under President Oligui Nguema’s administration. Sylvia Bongo and Valentin were central figures during former President Ali Bongo’s 14-year rule, which ended abruptly in a 2023 coup following a disputed election. The Bongo family’s 56-year political dynasty, initiated by Ali’s father, Omar Bongo, who ruled for 42 years, came to an end with the coup. Prosecutors accused the pair of exploiting Ali Bongo’s health issues to manipulate state funds. Witnesses testified that Valentin, who served as coordinator of presidential affairs, effectively controlled the presidential palace after his father’s 2018 stroke. Following the coup, both were detained for 20 months before being allowed to leave the country. Now residing in London with French citizenship, the Bongos refused to participate in the trial. Prosecutors presented evidence of their lavish lifestyle, including private jets and luxury properties in London and Morocco. “They reigned unchallenged and portrayed themselves as victims of the system they created,” stated Eddy Minang, the prosecutor general at the Libreville Court of Appeal.
Gabon court sentences former first lady and president’s son to 20 years in prison
