This archive report was first published on 21 August 2019.
On 12 August, a Libreville Court of Appeal judge, Paulette Ayo Mba, made a significant ruling in a case involving President Ali Bongo's health. The judge declared admissible a complaint by the Call for Action movement, which was asking for the president to undergo a medical check-up to determine whether he is capable of performing his duties.
According to Gabonactu, a privately-owned Gabonese news website, the judge scheduled the hearing for 26 August. This decision has sparked speculation about the state of Mr. Bongo's health, particularly given his recent return to Gabon after a prolonged period of recovery abroad.
President Bongo had been recovering from a stroke he suffered in Saudi Arabia last October. He returned to Gabon at the end of March after five months of treatment abroad.
As a result of the judge's ruling, Gabon's Ministry of Justice has suspended Judge Paulette Ayo Mba, citing the need to review the case further.
