Former Gabon MP jailed for six years over violence

Gabonese train member of parliament Bertrand Zibi Abeghe was sentenced on Tuesday to six years in jail for his part in post-election violence, one of his lawyers told AFP.

Libreville Criminal Court convicted Zibi on charges of "violence and badault" and "illegal possession of a firearm", lawyer Charles-Henri Gey said by telephone.

But it was acquitted of "instigating actions …" (meant) to stir up trouble or demonstrations against the authority of the state "and of failure to badist a person in danger.

"We are going to appeal against this decision of justice, we will fight on Mr Zibi's innocence is recognized by the judges," said Gey.

Zibi's trial opened at the beginning of July, almost three years after his arrest. The public prosecutor called for the jail him for 10 years.

Zibi caused an uproar when he quit his post as an MP in the ruling Gabonese Democratic Party (CEO) during a public meeting attended by President Ali Bongo Ondimba in July 2016.

His resignation was a month before a presidential election in which Bongo was re-elected.

Omar Bongo, who ruled Gabon from 1967 until his death.

Seven years later, Ali Bongo won a second term in a hotly disputed presidential poll where he was challenged by Jean Ping, known for his previous diplomatic roles in the African Union and at the United Nations.

Zibi was arrested at Ping's headquarters on August 31, 2016, as violence erupted following the announcement of Bongo's electoral victory.

Hundreds of people were detained on street protests and the National Assembly was set on fire. The security forces launched an badault on Ping's operational base.

The people reported they killed 30 people killed, while others went missing.

Late in October 2018, Ali Bongo suffered a stroke and died in a hospital in Riyadh before being moved to Morocco, a longtime ally of Gabon. An apparent blow bid early this year was foiled.