The wife and son of former Gabonese President Ali Bongo Ondimba, Sylvia Bongo Ondimba and Noureddin Bongo Valentin, are being tried in absentia on corruption-related charges.
The high-profile trial opened on Monday before Gabon’s Special Criminal Court and is expected to continue throughout the week. The pair are among 13 defendants accused of misappropriating resources belonging to the Gabonese presidency for personal enrichment.
Prosecutors have brought forward 12 charges in total, including embezzlement of public funds, money laundering, active corruption, and the forgery of official documents.
Sylvia Bongo and her son were first arrested in August 2023, shortly after the military coup that removed President Ali Bongo from power, ending more than five decades of Bongo family rule in Gabon. They remained in detention for roughly 20 months before their release in May 2025.
The former first lady and her son allege they were subjected to mistreatment and torture during their incarceration in Libreville. “The treatment of our family has been criminal and cruel, and we will fight to the end to ensure that the truth is known and justice is done,” they said in a statement released in July.
Currently residing in exile in London, both Sylvia and Noureddin Bongo have refused to attend the trial, asserting that the proceedings lack fairness and transparency. Noureddin has described the case as “a political show trial” and questioned the court’s adherence to principles of due process.
In recent months, Noureddin Bongo has drawn attention on social media by posting covertly recorded videos alleging abuse by the government of transitional leader President Brice Oligui Nguema. The Gabonese presidency has since accused him of attempting to undermine national stability.
The trial marks a significant chapter in Gabon’s post-coup political transition and continues to attract both domestic and international scrutiny.
