Sylvia Bongo, the spouse of Gabon's ousted leader Ali Bongo Ondimba, went on trial for graft on Monday, though she is in exile.

The Gabonese government accuses the former first lady of manipulating her husband to embezzle taxpayers' money from the oil-rich nation.

She denies all the charges. Her son and co-defendant, Noureddin Bongo Valentin, criticised the trial as a "legal farce" in an interview with AFP on Friday.

Monday's proceedings at the Court of Appeal in the capital Libreville went ahead without the Bongos, who were allowed to leave Gabon for London after being granted conditional bail in May, officially on medical grounds.

Ali Bongo not facing prosecution

Nine of the 12 defendants, all close Bongo allies, were present in the courtroom for the trial, which attracted dozens of passers-by curious about the high-profile proceedings.

Deposed President Ali Bongo, who succeeded his father Omar when the latter died in 2009 after 41 years in power, is not facing prosecution.

His wife and son are accused of exploiting the former leader, who suffered a serious stroke in 2018, to effectively run Gabon for their own personal profit.

In May 2024, Sylvia and Noureddin Bongo filed a lawsuit in France, where they all hold citizenship, alleging that they were mistreated by the Gabonese army while in custody. The government denied the claims.

Ali Bongo was ousted as Gabon's president in August 2023.