Deposed Gabon President, Ali Bongo has regained freedom from the house arrest imposed upon him by the military junta in the country.
He was released eight days after he was deposed as president, with the new military leaders saying Bongo is free to leave the country for medical treatment.
It would be recalled that Alli Bongo was 8 days ago toppled by the military on the morning the electoral umpire announced that he had been re-elected to a third term in office.
The Military junta on Monday swore in Brice Nguema, an army general as interim president.
Nguema is incidentally Bongo’s cousin and had served as a bodyguard to Bongo’s late father and also headed the country’s republican guard, an elite military unit.
A statement signed by Nguema announcing the release of Bongo from house arrest said.
“Given his state of health, the former President of the Republic Ali Bongo Ondimba is free to move about,” Ulrich Manfoumbi, the military spokesperson, said in the statement read on national television on Wednesday evening.
“He may, if he wishes, travel abroad for medical checkups.”
Ali Bongo became Gabon’s president when Omar Bongo, his father, died after ruling from 1967 to 2009.
