In an unexpected turn of events, Gabon’s military leaders have taken action against the son of the ousted President Ali Bongo Ondimba and several of his close associates. They have been charged with high treason and corruption, and have been placed in custody, according to statements by the state prosecutor reported by AFP.
Among those charged are Noureddin Bongo Valentin, the eldest son of Ali Bongo, and Jessye Ella Ekogha, a former presidential spokesman. These individuals, along with four others with strong ties to the deposed president, have been officially charged and are now in provisional detention, confirmed Libreville prosecutor Andre-Patrick Roponat.
This dramatic development unfolded after President Bongo, who had been in power since 2009 in the oil-rich central African nation, was ousted by military leaders on August 30. This ousting occurred shortly after he was declared the winner of a presidential election, a result that was heavily disputed by the opposition and the military coup leaders. They accused Bongo’s regime of corruption and mismanagement.
On the same day as the coup, soldiers apprehended one of Bongo’s sons, along with five high-ranking cabinet officials and his wife, Sylvia Bongo Valentin. National television broadcasts even showcased images of the arrested individuals alongside suitcases allegedly filled with seized cash from their residences.
The Bongo family has held a firm grip on power in Gabon for over five decades, controlling the nation for more than 55 of the 63 years since its independence from France in 1960. Ali Bongo Ondimba took over as president in 2009 when his father, Omar Bongo, passed away after nearly 42 years in office. Omar Bongo was notorious for accumulating vast wealth from Gabon’s oil resources.
Ali Bongo’s rule faced challenges, including a stroke he suffered in October 2018, which left him incapacitated for ten months and raised concerns about his fitness for leadership. This incident also fueled a minor coup attempt.
Gabon, an oil powerhouse in Africa, enjoys high per-capita GDP due to its oil revenues and relatively small population of 2.3 million people. The discovery of abundant offshore oil reserves in the 1970s transformed the nation, allowing it to build a strong middle class and earn the moniker “central Africa’s little emirate.”
The ousting of Ali Bongo from power signifies a significant political shift in Gabon, and the charges against his son and associates mark a pivotal moment in the nation’s political landscape. It remains to be seen how this unfolding drama will impact the future of Gabonese politics and governance.
