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Gabon’s former first lady, Sylvia Bongo, and her son, Noureddin, have announced they will not return to Libreville to face trial over allegations of embezzling public funds, their French lawyer confirmed on Wednesday.
The pair, who are currently on conditional bail in London, have been living in exile since the August 2023 coup that ended more than five decades of Bongo family rule in the oil-rich Central African nation.
“Sylvia and Noureddin (Bongo) cannot be expected to return to the custody of their tormentors,” said their lawyer, Pierre-Olivier Sur, describing the upcoming trial as “a show trial”. The hearing in the Gabonese capital is scheduled to begin on November 10.
However, their legal team said the process was “procedurally unrealistic,” arguing that neither Sylvia nor Noureddin had been formally served with a summons at their London residence. Instead, they reportedly “learnt through the press” about the trial dates.
Sur and fellow lawyer François Zimeray said they plan to write to Gabon’s attorney general to accuse the government of exerting political pressure on the judiciary.
Last July, the Bongo family released a video allegedly showing a Gabonese judge admitting to “pressure” from members of the ruling military junta to pursue charges.
“We understand that Gabonese prosecutors and judges are acting under considerable pressure and feel the urgent need to appease President Brice Oligui Nguema with a quick show trial,” said Sur. “This is a clear case of persecution against judges and lawyers, in blatant violation of the principles of a fair trial.”
Sylvia Bongo, 62, was initially placed under house arrest following the coup led by Nguema before being jailed on charges of money laundering, forgery, and falsifying records. The military takeover brought an end to 55 years of Bongo family dominance in Gabonese politics.
Both Sylvia and Noureddin, who hold French citizenship, have been accused of exploiting former president Ali Bongo’s frail health—after he suffered a stroke in 2018—to control the government and its finances for their personal benefit.
Noureddin, 33, was detained alongside his mother, but both were released in May and allowed to leave the country. They have since claimed they were tortured by soldiers loyal to Nguema and have filed a case in France alleging arbitrary detention and torture.
President Oligui Nguema, who officially took office in April, has denied all allegations of mistreatment and insisted that Sylvia and Noureddin would receive a fair and lawful trial.
