By RFPosted on 22-11-2019Modified on 22-11-2019 at 11:31

In Gabon, the spokesman for the presidency, Ike Ngouoni, was still heard Thursday night by the police. In recent times, more than a dozen personalities have been arrested as part of an anti-corruption operation.

All these arrested personalities have one thing in common: their proximity to Brice Laccruche Alihanga. The former chief of staff of the head of state took the lead during Ali Bongo's absence following his stroke, and was recently reassigned to a ministry.

The lawyers of the people arrested denounce " investigations taking the form of settling of accounts ". Among these lawyers, Jean-Paul Moumbembé defends Lionel Erwin Diambou, advisor to the general director of Gabon Oil Company. And for him, the reasons are obvious: " The Code of Criminal Procedure does not allow such arrests, we go (look) late hours our customers, (that) we take them and immediately, all night, they are interrogated without the presence of the lawyer. Settlement because they are only denunciations. It's not based on any evidence ... I wish it were the judicial police officers who did the work. These are special services - you call them secret services - that disembark and embark you? Everything happens in total illegality ! "

" There is no settlement of account. "

Charges denied by the authorities. Jessye Ella Ekogha, adviser to the Gabonese president, explains that hearings are simply conducted on different people, at the moment, for the need of investigations.

" There is, I think, no settling of scores. A few days ago, the public prosecutor made a public statement and televised where he explained precisely that following specific and serious information, the prosecutor's office had opened investigations for suspicions of corruption and money laundering. (Because of) the secrecy of the investigation, I do not know if the hearing of Mr. Ngouoni fits in this frame, but in any case we can not speak of settlement of account. "

Asked about the possible involvement of members of the special services, Jessye Ella Ekogha said that the investigation was opened by the prosecution, ordered by the public prosecutor. He works with the General Directorate of Research, whose elements are judicial police officers, according to him. They have jurisdiction, he says, to intervene on this type of business.

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