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GABON/BONGOBack
[Published: Monday June 08 2009]

Omar Bongo confirmed dead

Libreville, 08 June-(ANA)-President of Gabon Omar Bongo - Africa's longest serving leader - has died aged 73.

His death was confirmed by the country's Prime Minister Jean Eyeghe Ndong in a written statement.

There had been conflicting reports earlier today about whether Mr Bongo, who had led Gabon since 1967, had died in a Spanish clinic.

In his statement, Mr Ndong said Mr Bongo had died of a heart attack shortly before 1230GMT.

He said Gabon would observe 30 days of mourning, and called on the Gabonese people to "stand together in contemplation and dignity".  

Mr Bongo became vice-president, and then president, of Gabon in 1967. He stopped work in May, and entered a clinic in Barcelona. Government officials insisted it was for a check-up, but other reports said he had cancer.

Mr Bongo faced a French inquiry into corruption allegations.

Oil earnings mean that Gabon is officially one of Africa's richest states but analysts say that the political elite has kept most of the money for themselves. Most of the country's 1.4 million people live in poverty.

Mr Bongo was one of three African leaders being investigated for alleged embezzlement by a French judge. The others are Denis Sassou-Nguesso of the Republic of Congo and Teodoro Obiang Nguema of Equatorial Guinea.

It is alleged that the properties owned by Mr Bongo's family in France could not have been purchased with official salaries alone.

Mr Bongo denied any wrongdoing.

Opposition leaders have claimed his son, Ali-Ben Bongo, currently defence minister, was being manoeuvred to take over. (ANA)

FA/ANA/08 June 2009---

 

 

 


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