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In Gabon, almost 10 months of preventive detention for Jean-Rémy Yama. The president of Dynamique unitaire, the largest trade union center for Gabonese civil servants, was arrested at the end of February at Libreville airport. He is accused of fraud, breach of trust and embezzlement during a public contract between his company and the State. This weekend, his lawyers stepped up to ask for his provisional release.
The eight lawyers of Jean-Rémy Yama denounced with one voice ulterior motives and a detention which according to them did not have no legal justification. For his advice, there is an agreement between Jean-Rémy Yama’s company and the State, and the procedures provided for in the event of a dispute have not been followed at all.
He was granted provisional release in August, but the union leader is still in detention. For Me Anges Kevin Nzigou, all this demonstrates a desire to personally reach Jean-Rémy Yama:
« At the very time when he was to regain his freedom, a procedure was exhumed which has no legal justification to be able to put him under a new warrant of committal, by another judge. Even though he shouldn’t be from that jurisdiction. When there is so much desire not to respect procedural and substantive rules, the person who is in question is in fact a political detainee, instead of being at the heart of a common law case. So it is possible that the detention of Jean-Rémy Yama is the response to civic engagement, because of his beliefs. Because he is at the head of a central trade union which does not necessarily please those in power. »
For his lawyers, Jean-Rémy Yama is in danger due in particular to severe sleep apnea that he would not be allowed to treat in detention. His lawyers are therefore considering initiating proceedings for “ endangering the life of others ».
Asked regarding this affair, the Minister of Communication considered that the government did not interfere and did not comment on a matter relating to justice. According to Alain-Claude Billie By Nze, the fact ” that the lawyers are trying to make a political file out of it does not commit us »
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