Former Gabon President Ali Bongo Relocates to Angola Following Family’s Release

Sylvia Bongo has been married to Ali Bongo since 1989 and have four children together

Former Gabonese President Ali Bongo has left Gabon and is now in Angola, according to an official statement from Angolan authorities. The announcement confirmed that Bongo’s wife, Sylvia, and their son, Noureddin, have also been released from detention and are currently with him in the Angolan capital, Luanda.

Sylvia and Noureddin Bongo were arrested in 2023 following the military coup that removed Ali Bongo from power. Both had faced corruption charges during the transitional period under Gabon’s new leadership. While the family has not publicly addressed the allegations, legal representatives for Sylvia Bongo have labeled her detention “arbitrary and illegal.”

Their release follows recent diplomatic efforts by Angolan President João Lourenço, who currently chairs the African Union. President Lourenço traveled to Gabon’s capital, Libreville, and held discussions with President Brice Oligui Nguema—the former general who led the 2023 coup and was formally elected president last month.

It remains uncertain whether legal proceedings against Sylvia and Noureddin Bongo will continue following their release and departure from Gabon.

Ali Bongo, who succeeded his father Omar Bongo and ruled Gabon for 14 years, had remained under house arrest following the August 2023 coup. While Gabonese officials claimed he was free to move, reports indicated his mobility was heavily restricted. His wife and son were detained in prison until their recent transfer to house arrest and eventual release.

Bongo has repeatedly condemned what he described as “violence and torture” inflicted on his wife and son during their incarceration—accusations the Gabonese authorities strongly deny.

During the Bongo family's 14-year tenure, they were accused of amassing personal wealth while much of the Gabonese population lived in poverty. Despite Gabon's status as an oil-rich country, roughly one-third of its population lives below the poverty line, according to United Nations data. The Bongos have consistently denied the corruption allegations.