Gabon’s former First Lady Sylvia Bongo Ondimba and her son Noureddin Bongo Valentin went on trial in absentia on Monday, accused of embezzling public funds and abusing presidential power during the final years of President Ali Bongo Ondimba’s rule. The highly anticipated trial opened before a special criminal court in Libreville, where 13 defendants including senior presidential aides and business associates face 12 charges ranging from embezzlement and money laundering to forgery and active corruption. Proceedings are expected to continue throughout the week.
Sylvia and Noureddin, who were arrested after the August 2023 military coup that ended the Bongo family’s 55-year grip on power, spent nearly 20 months in detention before being released in May 2025. They later fled to London, where they remain in exile. The two have refused to return to Gabon, denouncing the proceedings as politically motivated. In a joint statement released earlier this year, they claimed to have suffered torture during imprisonment, saying “The treatment of our family has been criminal and cruel. We will fight to the end to ensure the truth is known and justice is done.”
From abroad, Noureddin Bongo has become increasingly vocal on social media, posting hidden-camera footage and statements accusing Gabon’s transitional authorities, led by General Brice Oligui Nguema, of harassment and human rights abuses. The Gabonese government, however, has accused him of attempting to destabilize the country and undermine ongoing efforts to recover allegedly stolen state funds. The Bongo family’s fall from power marked a historic turning point in Gabonese politics. President Ali Bongo, who ruled from 2009 until the 2023 coup, succeeded his father Omar Bongo, who had led the oil-rich Central African nation for over four decades. While the Bongos insist the charges are part of a political vendetta, Gabon’s transitional government says the trial represents a crucial step toward accountability and transparency after decades of alleged state corruption.
