On Wednesday, 12 November 2025, Gabon’s Libreville Court of Appeal sentenced former First Lady Sylvia Bongo and her son, Noureddin Bongo, to 20 years’ imprisonment and a fine of 100 million CFA francs for embezzlement of public funds, money laundering, and other related offences.
The pair, who were tried in absentia and are currently in exile in London, were also ordered to pay over 1.201 trillion CFA francs (€1.8 billion) in damages to the Gabonese state. The judgment aligned with the prosecution’s request and marked a major development in the ongoing efforts to dismantle corruption networks linked to the family of former president Ali Bongo, who was ousted in a coup on 30 August 2023.
During the two-day hearing, testimonies revealed what prosecutors described as a “system of misappropriation of public funds for private interests.” Attorney General Eddy Minang accused Sylvia and Noureddin of exploiting presidential authority following Ali Bongo’s 2018 stroke, funnelling billions from the treasury for luxury purchases, including private jets and real estate abroad.
The prosecution also called for the confiscation of their global assets and the reimbursement of 4.4 billion CFA francs to the state. Ten former associates of the Bongos, arrested during the 2023 coup, remain on trial until 14 November on related corruption and forgery charges.
Both defendants have rejected the allegations, insisting the proceedings were politically motivated. Noureddin Bongo, in a post on social media, claimed he made statements under torture and dismissed the credibility of witnesses who testified against him. Former aides, however, provided detailed accounts of extravagant spending and illegal transfers, including millions channelled through Dubai and hundreds of vehicles bought for the 2023 presidential campaign. Despite their absence, the court ruled that Sylvia and Noureddin had “reigned supreme” over a corrupt system that enriched them at the expense of the state.