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Former Gabonese First Lady Sylvia Bongo Ondimba Valentin Jailed For Money Laundering.

By Caroline Ameh

Following the ousting of former President Ali Bongo Ondimba by the military in August, his wife, Sylvia Bongo Ondimba Valentin, has been sentenced to jail on charges of money laundering by the junta government in Gabon.

Sylvia’s conviction was confirmed by her lawyer, Francois Zimeray, on Thursday, October 12, 2023. Zimeray disclosed that Sylvia Bongo was detained on Wednesday night, suspected of allegedly embezzling public funds.

The former First Lady was initially placed under house arrest in Gabon’s capital, Libreville, following the August 30 coup, which marked the end of the 55-year-long Bongo dynasty rule. The junta government accused the former head of state and his entourage of falsifying election results.

Sylvia Bongo and her son, Nourredin Bongo Valentin, have faced allegations of manipulating the former president, who has not fully recovered from a serious stroke in 2018. They are further accused of effectively running the oil-rich country for the past five years and misusing public funds.

Nourredin Bongo Valentin has also been detained since the coup and faces charges of corruption.

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

Former President Ali Bongo Ondimba, who had been in power since 2009, was overthrown by military leaders just moments after being declared the winner in a presidential election. This event was perceived by many as an act of liberation rather than a traditional military coup.

Gabon, Africa’s third-richest nation in terms of per-capita GDP, is facing challenges, with one in three people living below the poverty line, according to the World Bank.

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