Key facts
- Gabon's main opposition leader, Alain Claude Bilie By Nze, has been jailed for over three months.
- His lawyers claim the charges stem from an 18-year-old private financial dispute.
- Nze was arrested on April 15 and is accused of fraud and breach of trust.
- His legal team has been denied access to case files.
- Nze unsuccessfully challenged current President Brice Oligui Nguema in a recent election.
Alain Claude Bilie By Nze, the main opposition leader in Gabon, has been imprisoned for over three months, with his lawyers alleging the charges are a political pretext. Nze, who served as prime minister before President Brice Oligui Nguema seized power in a 2023 coup, unsuccessfully challenged Nguema in last year's election.
His lawyers stated that Nze has spent 100 days in solitary confinement since his arrest on April 15. The basis for his detention is reportedly a private financial dispute dating back to 2008, involving approximately 7,600 euros ($8,650). Nze's party indicated he is accused of fraud and breach of trust in relation to this dispute.
According to his legal team, Nze is being held in a small, dark cell in Libreville. They also claim to have been denied access to case files, with the investigating judge stating he no longer possesses the relevant documents. A defense request to annul the proceedings was rejected by a Libreville appeals court on June 2.
The August 2023 coup ended the long rule of the Bongo family, and Nguema was elected president in an effort to restore civilian governance to the Central African nation.