Hours after the August 30, 2023 coup was announced in Gabon, two videos went viral not only in the country but across the world.
The more controversial video was of a massive cash discovery allegedly in the home of a detained politician.
It has now been confirmed that the monies were retrieved from the home of the Chief of Staff of ousted president Ali Bongo.
The aide in question is Ian Ngoulou, who admitted the offence of hoarding huge sums of monies in a report aired by Gabon24, the state broadcaster. He was paraded along with 31-year-old son of the Bongo, Noureddin Valentin.
The two, under arrest hours after the coup was announced, were captured in a report by the station standing by the displayed cash stash outside Ngoulou's residence in the capital.
Asked how he came by that volume of cash, he said it was for business but added that he did not know the total amount of the money.
Seven people whose arrest was announced by the junta on August 30 are:
a. Nourredin Bongo Valentin
b. Chief of Staff Ian Ghislain Ngoulou,
c. Deputy Chief of Staff Mohamed Ali Saliou,
d. Senior advisors Abdul Hosseini, Jessye Ella Ekogha,
e. As well as Steeve Nzegho Dieko and Cyriaque Mvourandjiami, senior members of the ruling party.
What the viral video contained:
In the 23-second video, about a dozen big travel suitcases have been flung open and each one is filled with bundles of cash to the brim.
From what this reporter saw, the bundles are largely untouched with their polythene wrapper and are likely to have been dispatched from the central bank or a holding point.
In the shot is Ngoulou in simple clothes whiles another, dressed like a member of the security agency is also sighted.
There are armed security men also captured in the video.