The legal representatives of Alain Claude Bilie By Nze are raising serious concerns about the conditions and legitimacy of his prolonged detention. In a public statement, they highlight that the case hinges on a decade-old private dispute involving approximately €7,600. The opposition leader faces accusations of fraud and breach of trust, charges his party, Ensemble pour le Gabon, dismisses as politically motivated.

Alain Claude Bilie By Nze served as Prime Minister before the August 2023 coup led by General Brice Oligui Nguema, which ended decades of Bongo family rule. He later ran in the presidential election, but the results were not in his favor.

Conditions and procedural irregularities questioned

His legal team reports that he has been confined to a severely cramped cell in Libreville’s main detention facility, measuring just five square meters and lacking adequate lighting. They further allege that he has endured 100 days of solitary confinement, describing it as an unlawful and punitive measure. Adding to the controversy, the defense claims it has been systematically denied access to the case file. According to their account, the presiding judge admitted to misplacing key documents. A motion to dismiss the case, filed on June 2, was rejected by the Libreville Court of Appeal. “A man remains imprisoned without his lawyers ever seeing the evidence against him,” declared attorney Arthur Vercken in the defense’s statement.

The current detention occurs amid a broader political transition following the 2023 coup. General Brice Oligui Nguema was subsequently elected president in what authorities framed as a step toward civilian rule. The case against Alain Claude Bilie By Nze has further strained an already tense political environment as institutions undergo reorganization.