Gabon’s Military: Ex-President Free to Travel

By Staff, Agencies

Gabon’s military announced that former president, Ali Bongo Ondimba, has been released from house arrest and is free to leave the country for medical treatment.

Bongo, who had been held under house arrest since a military coup on August 30, was toppled from power shortly after he was declared the winner of much-criticized elections that would have seen him extend his 14-year rule as president.

“Given his state of health, the former President of the Republic Ali Bongo Ondimba is free to move about. He may, if he wishes, travel abroad for medical checkups,” Gabon’s military spokesman Colonel Ulrich Manfoumbi said in a statement read on national television on Wednesday evening.

The statement announcing Bongo’s release from house arrest was signed by General Brice Clotaire Oligui Nguema, who was sworn in as Gabon’s new head of state on Monday.

Oligui is a cousin of Bongo, had served as a bodyguard to Bongo’s late father and also headed the country’s republican guard, an elite military unit.

Bongo suffered a stroke five years ago and has not had access to his own doctors, Haque said.

“For his family it’s another issue. His wife was held on the fourth floor of the presidential palace with his son Noureddin. All of them are accused of high treason,” Haque said, noting that “And according to the country’s new strongman Nguema, they will have to face justice as they have been accused of stealing money from state coffers.”