Sylvia Bongo Ondimba Valentin, the wife of Gabon’s ousted President Ali Bongo Ondimba, who had been under house arrest since the August coup in Gabon, has been jailed by the nation’s military government over alleged financial crimes.
The charges against her include money laundering, forgery, and falsification of records, as of September 28.
Sylvia Bongo and her son, Nourredin Bongo Valentin, are accused of manipulating the former president, when he suffered a severe stroke in 2018.
They are alleged to have effectively governed Gabon for the past five years and misused public funds.
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Nourredin Bongo Valentin, similarly charged with corruption, has been in detention since the coup.
Meanwhile, Sylvia Bongo’s lawyer, Francois Zimeray, has condemned the arrest, labelling it an arbitrary and illegal procedure.
“We condemned this illegal procedure,” lawyer Zimeray said.
“There is a difference between justice and arbitrary actions, between the law and revenge.”
The public prosecutor in Libreville has yet to respond to requests for comments on this matter.