Wife of Gabon’s deposed President Ali Bongo jailed

Deposed Gabon President Ali Bongo Ondimba’s woes were compounded on Thursday as his wife and former first lady, Sylvia Bongo Ondimba, has been jailed, her lawyer disclosed on Thursday.

The wife has been under house arrest in the capital, Libreville, after the August 30 coup which brought the curtain down on 55 years of the Bongo dynasty rule.

Her lawyer, Francois Zimeray, confirmed that Sylvia Bongo Ondimba was jailed late on Wednesday.

The coup leader, General Oligui, took a tougher stance on the former first lady and the eldest son after he claimed the duo forged “Ali Bongo’s signature and gave orders on his stead” after he suffered a stroke in 2018.

Persecond News gathered that since Ali Bongo ruled in the neo-patrimonial style, as a personal ruler, who controlled all important decisions, his stroke in late 2018 made the machinery of government ineffective and raised serious questions about whether or not he was fit to rule.

This led to a crisis of legitimacy as members of his family ( e.g., first lady Sylvie Valentin Bongo, his brother Fred Bongo, who was in charge of security, and his eldest son Nourreddin) allegedly took power, sidelining influential super ministers and chief of staffs.

Nourredin Bongo Valentin has been placed in detention since the coup, charged with corruption.

“We condemned this illegal procedure,” lawyer Zimeray said. “There is a difference between justice and arbitrary actions, between the law and revenge.”

Bongo, 64, who had ruled the central African country since 2009, was overthrown by military leaders moments after being proclaimed the winner in a presidential election.