The ousted president of Gabon Ali Bongo Ondimba is “free of his movements” and “can go, if he wishes, abroad”, announced, Wednesday September 6, the general Brice Oligui Nguema who overthrew him a week ago, in a statement read on state television.
Ali Bongoin power for 14 years, had been under house arrest since the military coup of August 30, carried out without bloodshed less than an hour after his camp declared his re-election in a vote described as fraudulent by the putschists.
“Given his state of health, the former President of the Republic Ali Bongo Ondimba is free to move around. He can, if he wishes, go abroad to carry out his medical checks”, Colonel Ulrich Manfoumbi Manfoumbi announced on state television, reading a press release “signed” by General Oligui, who led the putsch and was sworn in as transitional president on Monday.
Ali Bongo suffered a serious stroke in October 2018 which left him physically impaired, his right leg and arm in particular moving with difficulty.
With AFP