Overthrown Gabon President Bongo and his family arrive in Angola, officials say

CAPE TOWN South Africa AP The former president of Gabon who was ousted in a coup has been allowed to leave the country and has flown to Angola with his family the Angolan leader s office reported Friday The Angolan presidency posted photos on its official Facebook page of Ali Bongo Ondimba arriving in the Angolan capital Luanda It stated the release of Bongo his wife and their son came after an agreement between Angolan President Joao Lourenco and new Gabon leader Gen Brice Oligui Nguema who overthrew Bongo nearly two years ago and was declared the winner of an electoral process last month Alain-Claude Bilie-By-Nze the former prime minister of Gabon and a spokesperson for Bongo noted the Bongo family had been detained illegally and were circulated after international demands The African Union had called for the Bongo family s release and Angola s Lourenco was acting in his ceiling as the chairperson of the AU when he facilitated the agreement his office commented Bongo was placed under house arrest after the coup in August but was freed a week later due to strength concerns according to Gabon functionaries His supporters denied he was free and announced his movements were still being restricted His wife Sylvia Bongo and son Noureddin Bongo Valentin had been detained in a prison in the capital Libreville since on money laundering and corruption charges Ali Bongo himself was not charged The coup by Oligui Nguema the former head of the country s Republican Guard ended years of Bongo family rule in Gabon a nation of million people on the Atlantic coast in central Africa Ali Bongo s father Omar Bongo Ondimba was president from until his death in Ali Bongo succeeded him AP Africa news https apnews com hub africa Source