Gabon's opposition leader Jean Ping files case at the ICC

Lawyers representing Gabon’s opposition leader Jean Ping have sent a case file to the ICC’s prosecutor accusing the government of crimes against humanity.

The accusation relates to violence which broke out for two days following the controversial reelection of President Ali Bongo in August.

The opposition claimed 26 people were killed during the riots and protests that begun on August 31, although official government figures put that toll at 3.

Ping’s lawyer, Emmanuel Altit said in a statement, the file sent to the ICC was “the fruit of three months of investigations carried out in Gabon and abroad, which demonstrates the existence of crimes against humanity committed by the Gabonese authorities”.

In September, the ICC’s chief prosecutor opened an initial probe into the deadly violence at the request of the Gabonese government.

Gabon’s letter of referral to the ICC had accused Ping and his supporters of incitement to genocide and crimes against humanity.

AFP