Former Gabonese First Lady,Detained Over Alleged Embezzlement

Sylvia Bongo Ondimba Valentin, the wife of Gabon's ousted president, Ali Bongo Ondimba, who had been under house arrest since a coup in late August, has been reportedly detained, according to her lawyer, who described the procedure as “arbitrary” and “illegal.”

She was charged on September 28, 2033 with allegations of embezzling public funds, money laundering, forgery, and falsification of records. 

The coup, which was led by General Brice Clotaire Oligui Nguema accused the former head of state and his associates of falsifying election results and manipulating Ali Bongo, who had suffered a severe stroke in 2018. 

They also alleged that Sylvia Bongo and her son, Nourredin Bongo Valentin, effectively ran the country for the past five years and misused public funds. Meanwhile, Nourredin Bongo Valentin has also been in detention since the coup, facing corruption charges.

The recent political agitation in Gabon involved a coup that saw Ali Bongo Ondimba, who had been in power since 2009, overthrown by military leaders after being declared the winner in a presidential election. While the takeover was officially deemed a coup, many perceived it as an act of liberation.