Gabonese opponent Guy Nzouba-Ndama, leader of the party « Les Démocrates » was accused on Tuesday of criminal association, money laundering, intelligence with a foreign power and attempted corruption, four days after being arrested with more a billion CFA francs in his suitcases when he returned from a short stay in Congo-Brazzaville.
If this affair has since given rise to controversy in Gabon, in Congo Brazzaville the platform of NGOs for human rights and democracy is wondering about the origin of this money and believes that both Congolese and Gabonese opinion must be enlightened on this file. .
“The member organizations of the Platform for Human Rights and Democracy (PDHD) learned through the press that the Gabonese opponent, Guy Nzouba-Ndama, from the Republic of Congo, was arrested on September 17 by the Gabonese gendarmerie while they were illegally transporting 1.19 billion CFA francs in cash in their suitcases”, indicates the press release from the platform published on Tuesday, September 20.
These organizations say they are surprised that this opponent “was able to cross Congolese territory without the Congolese customs services and gendarmerie realizing it. Obviously, this points to the inefficiency of cross-border services and the complicity of the highest authorities in the country”.
They consider it « unacceptable » that Nzouba-Ndama did not observe the regulations in force with regard to the possession of money and currencies in the CEMAC space.
Referring to the case of Congo, the platform wonders « how in a country where social benefits are almost non-existent, retirees accumulate up to 36 months of pension arrears, where fellow citizens are in need of housing, where hospitals and the schools are in an advanced state of disrepair, the leaders use public funds for purposes other than improving the living conditions of the Congolese population”.
The NGOs concerned also consider that the “silence of the Congolese authorities 4 days after this scandal is incomprehensible”. Hence their request to “clarify this situation”, judging that “it is essential to shed full light on the origin and purpose of the suitcases worth one billion CFA francs”. A judicial inquiry is fundamental, they said.
“We also encourage the Gabonese authorities to shed full light on this situation. Both Congolese and Gabonese opinion must be built on this issue,” they concluded.
By OMA Newsletter N° 867 of 09/21/2022
Article published under the direction of Dr. Najib Kettani
The OMA, NGO with an Intercontinental vocation
For the development of cultural exchanges
Valuing human potential
The promotion and consolidation of Africa’s development, and
Inter-African integration
