On August 31, 2023, the military planted suitcases full of banknotes in front of Noureddin Bongo at the Presidential Palace while he was illegally detained in the cells of the General Direction of Special Services.
The soldiers forced Noureddin, under threat of weapons, of raping his wife and harming his children, all hostages, to be photographed and filmed in front of these suitcases.
These images were widely broadcast in the local and international press in order to condemn Noureddin Bongo in the eyes of public opinion despite the presumption of innocence.
However, these suitcases never belonged to Noureddin and were never found at his home, which will not be searched until September 15, 2023.
1. FABRICATION OF
EVIDENCE
DISINFORMATION .
2. DEFAMATION​
The day after the coup d'état, a defamation campaign was launched against Sylvia and Noureddin Bongo, seriously damaging their honour and reputation, by the highest authorities of the State and by the state press.
These remarks relay a fabricated narrative according to which Sylvia and Noureddin were in charge of Gabon, even though they had no official function: Sylvia being First Lady and Noureddin no longer holding a public position since 2021 and living abroad.
The coup d'état is justified by false anecdotes aimed at inciting hatred against Sylvia and Noureddin.
Sylvia and Noureddin were accused of crimes they did not commit and for which there is no evidence.
Despite attempts to obstruct the rights of the defense, the latter was able to gain access to the investigation file, which in reality contained no evidence of charges against Sylvia and Noureddin.
We also denounce the relentless desire to find justifications for their detention, during illegal and harsh interrogations.
3. UNFOUNDED CHARGES
4. JUSTICE ON ORDERS
We denounce the numerous procedural defects systematically ignored by the Gabonese judicial authorities.
Furthermore, the false statements made on May 24, 2024 by the Minister of Justice Paul-Marie Gondjout and on December 20, 2024 by the Public Prosecutor Bruno Obiang Mvé on the absence of torture on Sylvia and Noureddin, without any investigation having been initiated to verify these serious facts, leave little doubt about the real independence of the Gabonese justice system.