Former Gabonese Prime Minister and prominent opposition figure, Alain Claude Bilie By Nze, has now endured over 100 days of incarceration since his detention on April 15. His legal representatives contend that the charges brought against him stem from a financial disagreement dating back to 2008, strongly condemning the process as irregular.
Mr. Bilie By Nze’s legal team asserts that their client has been held for more than three months in connection with what they describe as a long-standing private dispute. In a recent statement, they highlighted that this disagreement, involving approximately 7,600 euros and originating in 2008, appears to be the basis for his arrest. The political party, Ensemble pour le Gabon, indicates that the former head of government faces accusations of fraud and breach of trust. Alain Claude Bilie By Nze previously served as Prime Minister before General Brice Oligui Nguema assumed power following the August 2023 coup d’état. He later contested the presidential election, which General Oligui Nguema won, but was unable to alter the outcome.
Concerns over detention conditions and procedural irregularities
The opposition leader’s counsel reports that he is confined to a five-square-meter cell, lacking natural light, within a Libreville correctional facility. They also point to a 100-day period of solitary confinement, which they characterize as “political and arbitrary.” Furthermore, the defense claims they have been consistently denied access to the case file. According to their statements, the investigating judge allegedly informed them that the relevant documents were no longer in his possession. A request filed by the lawyers to annul the proceedings was rejected by the Libreville Court of Appeal on June 2. “A man is being detained based on a file that his defense has never been permitted to examine,” stated lawyer Arthur Vercken in the communique issued by the defense team. The August 2023 coup brought an end to over five decades of governance by the Bongo family. Brice Oligui Nguema was subsequently elected president in a vote presented by the new authorities as a step towards restoring civilian rule. Alain Claude Bilie By Nze’s ongoing incarceration unfolds against a backdrop of political restructuring following this transitional period.
