Former Gabon President Ali Bongo's spouse apprehended following coup

Sylvia Bongo, the wife of former Gabonese President Ali Bongo, has been placed in pre-trial detention on charges of embezzling public funds, according to her lawyer. She had previously been under house arrest following the coup in August. After a lengthy hearing, it was decided that she should be held in jail, a decision that her lawyer criticized as arbitrary and illegal. Mrs. Bongo is facing charges of money laundering, forgery, and falsification of documents, although she has not publicly commented on the allegations. She is expected to appear in court in 10 days for a further hearing, where her lawyer can argue for her release. During her hearing, Brice Laccruche Alihanga, the former head of Gabon's cabinet who was jailed four years ago on similar charges, provided evidence. These allegations are closely linked to the former cabinet chief. In 2019, Mrs. Bongo supposedly spearheaded an anti-corruption campaign called Operation Scorpion, leading to the arrest and imprisonment of several government officials, including Alihanga. Some Gabonese criticized this operation, considering it a witch hunt. Noureddin Bongo, the son of the ousted president, is also awaiting trial on corruption charges following his arrest after the coup. Ali Bongo, who had been in power since 2009, was released from house arrest a week after the military takeover but has chosen to remain in the country's capital. The coup, led by Gen Brice Oligui Ngeuma, was celebrated domestically but widely condemned by regional and international bodies, including France, the former colonial power in Gabon. Gen Nguema has promised to hold free and fair elections to establish a new civilian government but has not yet announced a timetable.