Latest news with #NoureddinBongo
BBC News
16-05-2025
- Politics
- BBC News
Ali Bongo: Gabon's ousted ex-president and family arrive in Angola
Gabon's former President, Ali Bongo, who was deposed in a 2023 coup, has left the country and is now in Angola, the authorities there have Angolan presidency added in a statement posted on social media that Bongo's family had been released from detention and were with him in wife and son, Sylvia and Noureddin, faced corruption charges and had been imprisoned in 2023. They have not yet publicly commented on the charges, however Ms Bongo's lawyer has described her detention as arbitrary and illegal. The family's release comes after Angolan President João Lourenço, who currently heads the African Union, visited Libreville and held talks with his Gabonese counterpart Brice Oligui Nguema - the former general who led the coup against Bongo before being elected president last remains unclear if the legal proceedings against Sylvia and Noureddin Bongo will Bongo, whose father Omar Bongo ruled Gabon for more than four decades, led the country for 14 years until the 2023 his toppling he was placed under house arrest where he reportedly remained, although Gabonese authorities say he was free to move about as he wished. His wife and son were detained in prison and then reportedly released to house arrest last has been vocal in condemning what he described as the "violence and torture" faced by his wife and son, although the authorities had denied subjecting the pair to cruel their 14 years in power, the Bongo family had been accused of accumulating wealth for themselves at the expense of the country - allegations they Gabon being an oil-rich nation, a third of its population lives below the poverty line, according to the UN. More stories from the BBC about Gabon: Who is Ali Bongo?Why Gabon's coup leader is bucking a trend by embracing democracyBrice Oligui Nguema: The coup leader who stormed to election victory Go to for more news from the African us on Twitter @BBCAfrica, on Facebook at BBC Africa or on Instagram at bbcafrica
Yahoo
16-05-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
Gabon's ousted president Bongo flies to Angola with family, Angola says
LUANDA (Reuters) - Former Gabon president Ali Bongo, ousted in a coup in 2023, has flown to Angola with his wife and son, who were transferred from prison to house arrest last week, Angola's presidency said in a statement posted on Facebook. African Union officials called last month for the release of Bongo's wife, Sylvia Bongo, 62, and son Noureddin, 33, who were taken into custody shortly after the August 2023 coup and accused of crimes including embezzlement and money laundering. Ali Bongo himself, who is 66, was initially placed under house arrest after the coup though officials later said he was free to move as he wished. His supporters said this was untrue but he is not known to have left Libreville since then. Two sources familiar with the case told Reuters the family had left Gabon before midnight on Thursday. Sylvia and Noureddin Bongo were transferred to house arrest on May 9. They had most recently been held in basement cells in the presidential palace in Libreville, one of the sources familiar with the case said. Their supporters have said they were tortured in custody, though coup leader Brice Oligui Nguema, now serving as president, has denied that. Gabon's communications minister, Paul-Marie Gondjout, did not immediately respond to a request for comment. Nguema was sworn in for a seven-year term as president this month after winning an election with nearly 95% of the vote. In a meeting on April 30, the African Union's Peace and Security Council readmitted Gabon, whose membership of the AU had been suspended after the coup. In a statement, the council called for the immediate release of Ali Bongo's family and for guarantees that their rights and health would be protected. Bongo had ruled Gabon since 2009, taking over from his father, who died after more than four decades in office.
Russia Today
13-05-2025
- Politics
- Russia Today
Former Gabonese president's family released from prison
Gabon's government has transferred former First Lady Sylvia Bongo Ondimba and her son, Noureddin Bongo Valentin, to house arrest after detaining them for more than a year on charges of embezzlement, corruption, and money laundering, according to local media reports. The move comes just one week after the swearing-in of the Central African country's new leader, Brice Oligui Nguema, the former general who led the August 2023 military coup that ousted long-serving former President Ali Bongo Ondimba. According to 'reliable' sources cited by the Gabon Review news agency, Sylvia and Noureddin Bongo were moved from their cells on Friday to their family residence in Gabon's capital, Libreville, where former president Ali Bongo has been under house arrest since his ouster. The two remain under judicial supervision, with charges pending and an obligation to cooperate with Gabonese authorities when required, the outlet stated. Sylvia was first held in the wake of the coup and formally detained in October 2023, following a committal order related to accusations of money laundering and forgery. At the time, her lawyer, François Zimeray, described the detention as 'arbitrary' and 'illegal,' while reports suggested she and her son were held either in the Central Prison in Libreville or possibly the basement of the presidential palace. The Bongo family has long been at the center of Gabon's political dynasty. Ali Bongo succeeded his late father, Omar Bongo, president of Gabon from 1967 to 2009, and ruled until the August 2023 coup, which followed a widely disputed election. Bongo suffered a severe stroke in October 2018, causing him to have difficulty moving his right arm and leg. The coup leaders suspected Sylvia Bongo of manipulating her husband, who they claimed was suffering from the effects of the stroke, and of 'massively embezzling public funds' alongside certain government officials. Sylvia Bongo denied all of the allegations when she first appeared before judges in October 2023. On April 30, the African Union adopted a resolution calling for the immediate release of Gabon's former president, his family, and ex-officials, and for their rights, safety, and health to be protected. Last year, the deposed president launched a hunger strike to protest the alleged torture of himself and his family after lawyers claimed that Sylvia and Noureddin Bongo had been beaten and strangled while in custody.
Yahoo
27-03-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
Old Etonian ‘tortured for family money' in Gabon jail
Born into one of Africa's kleptocratic ruling families, Noureddin Bongo enjoyed a gilded youth on the playing fields of Eton. While he mixed with the rich and famous in Windsor, his grandfather and father governed Gabon with iron fists, looting state coffers to fund their lavish lifestyles. But since a coup led by a cousin two years ago, the Old Etonian has been languishing in a filthy prison cell accused of embezzlement. The father of three's immediate family, who live in London, claim he has been held 'hostage' by Gabon's new regime, which wants to access his family bank accounts. Mr Bongo says he has been tortured, telling his lawyers that interrogators forced a hammer into his mouth and then used it to hoist him in the air. He was arrested with his Sylvia, his 62-year-old mother, as part of investigations by the new regime into alleged corruption and embezzlement. Shortly after the coup, Gabonese state TV showed pictures of Mr Bongo, who worked as an advisor to his father, sitting with other arrested officials next to suitcases filled with cash. Lawyers for Mr Bongo claimed he was forced to pose with the money to make it look like ill-gotten gains, and that he and his mother were being held 'outside of any legal framework'. Credit: Gabon 24 His European lawyers filed a civil action before a magistrate in Paris, Gabon's former colonial power, alleging 'unlawful arrest and sequestration aggravated by acts of torture and barbarism'. The government of Gabon has described the claims – including the hammer torture – as 'slanderous'. Mr Bongo's plight was raised by Lord Goldsmith, the environmentalist and former foreign office minister, who is a fellow old Etonian. Until the coup, he had supported Gabon on conservation programs in the central African nation, which joined the Commonwealth in 2022. 'It is deeply troubling that human rights should be trampled on in this fashion in a Commonwealth country like Gabon,' Mr Goldsmith said. 'The international community must hold the country's military junta to account – and ensure international standards of justice and transparency are met.' The Bongo family governed Gabon for more than half a century. The 42-year rule of Omar Bongo, Noureddin Bongo's authoritarian grandfather, was one of the longest of any African leader. Over five decades, the Bongos became one of the continent's richest first families, buying luxury cars and mansions in the US and France. One in three people in Gabon still live below the poverty line, although living standards have risen due to oil wealth. Ali Bongo Ondimba, Noureddin Bongo's 66-year-old father, took over in 2009. He pledged reforms, only to be overthrown in a bloodless coup in August 2023 led by Brice Oligui Nguema, a distant cousin and leader of Gabon's Republican Guard. Gabon was partially suspended from the Commonwealth in the wake of the Bongo government's collapse. It was one of a spate of coups in across west and central Africa – including Mali, Sudan, Niger and Burkina Faso – some of which have been linked to Kremlin efforts to gain a foothold in the region. Noureddin Bongo first moved to the UK aged eight and has spent much of his adult life in Britain, with friends describing him as an anglophile. His French wife Lea, 33, and three British-born sons were originally detained as well, but have since been allowed to go to London. 'His family worry they will never see him again,' a source said. 'This shouldn't be happening in a Commonwealth country.' There is speculation that the arrests are to prevent Ali Bongo, who has not been charged, contesting elections next month. Mr Nguema, who has pledged a return to civilian rule, is expected to be a candidate. 'Noureddin had no political ambitions in Gabon, preferring life in London,' a family source told The Telegraph. 'At the time of the coup, he was in Gabon to support his father during the election period. 'One of his sons was just one year old at the time his dad was taken hostage. He hasn't seen him since.' Broaden your horizons with award-winning British journalism. Try The Telegraph free for 1 month with unlimited access to our award-winning website, exclusive app, money-saving offers and more.
Telegraph
27-03-2025
- Politics
- Telegraph
Old Etonian ‘tortured for family money' in Gabon jail
Born into one of Africa's kleptocratic ruling families, Noureddin Bongo enjoyed a gilded youth on the playing fields of Eton. While he mixed with the rich and famous in Windsor, his grandfather and father governed Gabon with iron fists, looting state coffers to fund their lavish lifestyles. But since a coup led by a cousin two years ago, the Old Etonian has been languishing in a filthy prison cell accused of embezzlement. The father of three's immediate family, who live in London, claim he has been held 'hostage' by Gabon's new regime, which wants to access his family bank accounts. Mr Bongo says he has been tortured, telling his lawyers that interrogators forced a hammer into his mouth and then used it to hoist him in the air. He was arrested with his Sylvia, his 62-year-old mother, as part of investigations by the new regime into alleged corruption and embezzlement. Shortly after the coup, Gabonese state TV showed pictures of Mr Bongo, who worked as an advisor to his father, sitting with other arrested officials next to suitcases filled with cash. Lawyers for Mr Bongo claimed he was forced to pose with the money to make it look like ill-gotten gains, and that he and his mother were being held 'outside of any legal framework'. His European lawyers filed a civil action before a magistrate in Paris, Gabon's former colonial power, alleging 'unlawful arrest and sequestration aggravated by acts of torture and barbarism'. The government of Gabon has described the claims – including the hammer torture – as 'slanderous'. Mr Bongo's plight was raised by Lord Goldsmith, the environmentalist and former foreign office minister, who is a fellow old Etonian. Until the coup, he had supported Gabon on conservation programs in the central African nation, which joined the Commonwealth in 2022. 'It is deeply troubling that human rights should be trampled on in this fashion in a Commonwealth country like Gabon,' Mr Goldsmith said. 'The international community must hold the country's military junta to account – and ensure international standards of justice and transparency are met.' The Bongo family governed Gabon for more than half a century. The 42-year rule of Omar Bongo, Noureddin Bongo's authoritarian grandfather, was one of the longest of any African leader. Over five decades, the Bongos became one of the continent's richest first families, buying luxury cars and mansions in the US and France. One in three people in Gabon still live below the poverty line, although living standards have risen due to oil wealth. Ali Bongo Ondimba, Noureddin Bongo's 66-year-old father, took over in 2009. He pledged reforms, only to be overthrown in a bloodless coup in August 2023 led by Brice Oligui Nguema, a distant cousin and leader of Gabon's Republican Guard. Gabon was partially suspended from the Commonwealth in the wake of the Bongo government's collapse. It was one of a spate of coups in across west and central Africa – including Mali, Sudan, Niger and Burkina Faso – some of which have been linked to Kremlin efforts to gain a foothold in the region. Noureddin Bongo first moved to the UK aged eight and has spent much of his adult life in Britain, with friends describing him as an anglophile. His French wife Lea, 33, and three British-born sons were originally detained as well, but have since been allowed to go to London. 'His family worry they will never see him again,' a source said. 'This shouldn't be happening in a Commonwealth country.' There is speculation that the arrests are to prevent Ali Bongo, who has not been charged, contesting elections next month. Mr Nguema, who has pledged a return to civilian rule, is expected to be a candidate. 'Noureddin had no political ambitions in Gabon, preferring life in London,' a family source told The Telegraph. 'At the time of the coup, he was in Gabon to support his father during the election period. 'One of his sons was just one year old at the time his dad was taken hostage. He hasn't seen him since.'
