A Gabon court has sentenced former first lady Sylvia Bongo and her son, Noureddin Bongo, to 20-year prison terms for embezzlement and corruption after a two-day trial held in their absence.
The pair were found guilty late Tuesday—one day after proceedings opened—and fined 100 million CFA francs (about $177,000) each. In addition, the court ordered Noureddin to pay roughly 1.2 trillion CFA francs (about $2.1bn/£1.6bn) in damages to the state.
Prosecutors said the two exploited then-President Ali Bongo’s ill health following his 2018 stroke to wield power and siphon public funds. Both had denied wrongdoing ahead of the hearing, calling the case a “legal farce.” Noureddin described the verdict as a “rubber-stamping exercise” predetermined by the authorities.
Ali Bongo, deposed in an August 2023 coup led by Brice Oligui Nguema—now an elected president—has not been charged. Sylvia and Noureddin were detained for roughly 20 months after the takeover before being released in May and allowed to travel to London on medical grounds.
Nine alleged accomplices, described as former Bongo allies, remain on trial. The swift convictions surprised observers given expectations the proceedings would run until Friday.
Both Sylvia and Noureddin hold French nationality and have alleged they were tortured during detention—a claim Gabonese officials deny. Beyond prison terms and fines, Noureddin’s additional penalty reflects his former role as General Coordinator of Presidential Affairs, which prosecutors say he used to forge documents and misappropriate funds.
The Bongo family dominated Gabonese politics for over five decades: Omar Bongo ruled for 42 years, followed by his son Ali for 14. Despite the country’s oil wealth, the UN estimates about a third of Gabon’s population lives below the poverty line.