The former boss of Gabon Oil Company, Christian Patrichi Tanasa, and his deputy are sentenced to 12 years and 10 years in prison respectively, with heavy fines. They have been on trial since Monday 18 July 2022 for embezzlement, complicity in embezzlement and money laundering. The third defendant in this case was simply acquitted by the court.
In pre-trial detention for two years and seven months, the former General Director of Gabon’s national hydrocarbons company, Christian Patrichi Tanasa, will have to extend his stay in prison. He was sentenced to 12 years in prison and found guilty of embezzlement, complicity in embezzlement and money laundering. The verdict is rendered by the Court after a trial that started on 18 July 2022.
The other defendant in this case is Jérémie Ayong, the Deputy General Director of Mr Christian Patrichi Tanasa. Although he appeared free at the trial, he was finally found guilty and sentenced to 10 years’ imprisonment with an immediate detention order. The two defendants are also required to pay 20 billion CFA francs to the Gabonese state.
On the other hand, Mrs. Carelle Ndemengane, treasurer under the former boss of Gabon Oil Company is cleared of all suspicion. The courts have now given him free access to his bank accounts, which were previously blocked for investigative reasons.
For Me Aymard Moutsinga, lawyer of the State, it is a good decision and justice has been done. But he finds that the justice system has been rather lenient compared to the indictment of the public prosecutor.
Very disappointed, the defendants’ lawyers denounced a parody of justice and promised to appeal. ” The court was not fair, I think these people should all have been acquitted. So I don’t comment on the sentence, the fact that they were convicted is a simple expression of the lack of justice in the country“said Mr Anges Kevin Nzigou.
As a reminder, the prosecution had requested 3 years in prison against the treasurer Carelle Ndemengane, before she was finally acquitted at the end of the trial.
