THE trial of Pascaline Bongo, daughter of late Gabonese President Omar Bongo and sister of ousted President Ali Bongo, is nearing a pivotal moment as a verdict is anticipated in a Paris court on Monday. Pascaline Bongo stands accused of facilitating public contracts for French construction company Egis Route in Gabon between 2010 and 2011 in exchange for an €8 million payment.
The prosecution has recommended a three-year prison sentence for Bongo, with two years suspended, while she maintains her innocence.
The charges, first reported by French newspaper Libération, revolve around contracts to consult on the establishment of a national agency overseeing public infrastructure projects under Ali Bongo’s administration.
Former executives of Egis Route, including the company’s commercial director, are also implicated in the case, although the company has denied any wrongdoing.
The trial, commencing at the end of January, faced challenges from Bongo’s legal team, contesting French jurisdiction and the statute of limitations, and alleging illegal evidence seizure. Despite these objections, the judge allowed proceedings to continue, pledging to address these concerns in the forthcoming ruling.
Sara Brimbeuf from Transparency International France highlighted the rarity of such prosecutions involving foreign officials and French companies operating abroad, indicating that this trial could have broader implications for anti-corruption efforts.
The legal scrutiny on the Bongo family extends beyond Pascaline. Ali Bongo’s wife, Sylvia Bongo Valentin, faces charges of money laundering, forgery, and falsification of records, leading to her imprisonment. Their son, Noureddin Bongo Valentin, has been accused of corruption and embezzlement.
The string of legal actions underscores the tumultuous aftermath of Ali Bongo’s ousting in August 2023 and casts a spotlight on France’s longstanding relationship with the Bongo family, which has wielded power in Gabon for decades.