By RFPosted on 01-09-2019Modified on 01-09-2019 at 22:25

The judicial soap opera around Ali Bongo's request for medical expertise is continuing. A hearing is scheduled this Monday, September 2 at the court of appeal of Libreville to examine the merits of this request, carried by a part of the opposition and the civil society, which questions the capacity of the president to govern since his stroke ten months ago. This hearing is controversial. Originally scheduled for August 26, it had been postponed. And the judge who had fixed it, Paulette Akolly, has since been suspended from office for a period of two months. The lawyers of both parties will in any case present this Monday morning.

" There is not even room for debate, " says Aimery Bongho Mavungu, one of Ali Bongo's lawyers. Since the beginning of the case, the defense of the president ensures that his client is not a litigant like the others, and that the court of appeal is not competent to judge him.

On July 26, his lawyers appealed on points of law. They claim to have obtained an order asking the court of appeal to stay the proceedings. It was because she overruled that order that Paulette Akolly, the president of the court of appeal, was suspended. The lawyers of Ali Bongo ensure that today the Court of Appeal should automatically divest and transfer the file to the Court of Cassation.

For its part, Ange-Kevin Nzigou, a member of the collective Call for Action to the origin of the motion, continues to refer to decision of Paulette Akolly who had indeed agreed to examine the request for medical expertise. For him, the court of appeal is still in charge of the file. And he hopes that the debates will focus on the substance of the case.

It remains to be seen whether the hearing will take place. Last Monday, it was postponed for lack of a quorum. This is not necessarily related to the suspension of Judge Akolly, because another magistrate of the court should be able to take his place.

→ Listen again: Gabon: Ali Bongo's health expertise will it take place?

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