The military officers who have seized power in Gabon on Wednesday, August 30, 2023 have placed President Ali Bongo under house arrest.
The coup took place hours after Bongo was declared the winner of the presidential election held on August 26. He claimed to have won the elections by 64% votes. He had been in power since 2009.
Earlier, ousted president Ali Bongo cried for help in a viral video shot from his residence. He claimed that his eldest son and wife have been ‘taken away’ to an unknown locations.
It has emerged that the coup plotters are holding Bongo’s son, Nourredin Bongo Valentin, 31,and other six close allies of the former president over various constitutional breaches including:high treason, embezzlement of public funds, international financial embezzlement, forgery and use of forgery, falsification of the signature of the President of the Republic, active corruption and drug trafficking.
The government officials facing prosecution are Nourredin Bongo Valentin, Chief of Staff Ian Ghislain Ngoulou, Deputy Chief of Staff Mohamed Ali Saliou, Senior advisors Abdul Hosseini and Jessye Ella Ekogha as well as Steeve Nzegho Dieko and Cyriaque Mvourandjiami, who are top ruling party officials. SOURCE: Kasatintin.com
