Published On 11/11/2025
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Last update: 13:42 (Mecca time)
On Monday, November 10, a special criminal court in the Gabonese capital, Libreville, opened the trial sessions for Sylvia Bongo Ondimba, the wife of former President Ali Bongo, and their son, Noureddine Bongo Valentin, on charges related to embezzlement of public funds and money laundering.
However, the two defendants refused to appear before the court, considering that the conditions for a fair trial were not available.
This trial comes one year after the military coup that ended more than 5 decades of Bongo family rule.
The Gabonese authorities describe the case as a turning point to prove the independence of the judiciary, while the Bongo family sees it as an attempt to settle political scores.
For his part, Noureddine Bongo (33 years old), from his exile in London, confirmed to the French news agency his refusal to attend the sessions.
Participation means “legitimizing a justice subject to executive authority,” Bongo Jr. said, describing the trial as a “judicial farce” led by the regime of current President General Brice Olegy Nguema.
Bongo’s lawyer, Giselle Ewe-Bikaly, also announced her non-attendance, considering the case “judicial tampering”, and revealed that she had filed an appeal before the Court of Cassation against the referral decision, which she believes temporarily halts the proceedings.
Noureddine had recently published video clips in which he accused the Gabonese authorities of pressuring his father to sign documents while he was in a critical health condition.
On the other hand, Gabonese presidential spokesman, Theophane Nzami-Nez-Biougé, stressed that “justice will take its course, regardless of the propaganda,” denying any pressure on the judges, and accusing the Bongo family of trying to “destabilize” through media leaks.
Background of detention and torture
Sylvia and Noureddine were arrested following the coup in August 2023, and spent about 20 months in prison before they were released for health reasons last May, when they left the country accompanied by former President Ali Bongo.
Nour El-Din confirms that his mother was subjected to physical and psychological torture during the period of detention, saying, “My mother is devastated, and I fear she will never recover,” accusing those close to President Nguema of involvement in these violations.
In parallel with the trial in Libreville, Sylvia and Noureddine filed lawsuits in France on charges of torture, taking advantage of their French citizenship.
Nour El-Din believes that the investigations there are “progressing more quickly than expected,” stressing his confidence that “justice will be achieved, even after a while.”