The wife and son of former Gabonese president Ali Bongo have been found guilty of embezzlement of public funds and sentenced to 20 years in prison in absentia on Tuesday night.
Sylvia Bongo Ondimba and Noureddin Bongo Valentin were being tried this week before a special criminal court on various corruption charges.
The court also declared the former first lady guilty of money laundering, misappropriation of funds and incitement to forgery.
The president’s son was also convicted of extortion, theft of titles and positions, aggravated money laundering, and criminal conspiracy.
Both were sentenced to a fine of 100 million CFA francs (about €152,000).
“I have never embezzled money and I will continue to fight for the truth before independent legal authorities,” Noureddin Bongo Valentin reacted on X after the verdict.
Source: Africanews
