Gabon opposition leader imprisoned for political motives, according to his legal representatives

Gabon’s primary opposition leader, Alain Claude Bilie By Nze, has been incarcerated for over three months following the government’s revival of an 18-year-old private financial dispute, which his lawyers claim is merely a pretext to marginalize him.

Nze was serving as prime minister when Brice Oligui Nguema, the current president of Gabon, assumed power in a coup in 2023. He also challenged Nguema in an election last year, but his efforts were unsuccessful.

Nze’s party, “Together for Gabon,” announced Nze’s imprisonment on its Facebook page.

Nze’s lawyers stated that he has been in “political and arbitrary” solitary confinement for 100 days following his arrest on April 15. The reason for his arrest stemmed from a private dispute involving approximately 7,600 euros ($8,650) that dates back to 2008, they stated. His party stated that he faced allegations of fraud and breach of trust in that dispute.

Nze has been placed in a five-square-meter cell devoid of light at a prison in the capital, Libreville, according to his lawyers.

His lawyers stated that they have not been permitted to review the case files, and the investigating judge has indicated that he no longer possesses those documents. A Libreville appeals court denied a defense request to annul the proceedings on June 2.

Gabon’s Justice Ministry did not provide a response to the request for comment.
A man is currently detained based on a case file that his defense has not been allowed to access,” stated Nze’s counsel, Arthur Vercken.

The coup in Gabon in August 2023 brought an end to the over fifty-year reign of Ali Bongo and his family. Nguema was elected president in a vote aimed at restoring civilian governance in the oil-producing Central African nation.