Gabonese lawmaker Augustin Lobelle Yembi, who was arrested in Kigali on September 3 after an altercation with a RwandAir supervisor, has been handed over to the authorities n Gabon.
This followed diplomatic intervention between Libreville and Kigali.
National Assembly Speaker Michel Régis Onanga Ndiaye said on Monday, during a meeting of the institution’s Bureau at the Palais Léon Mba, that the lawmaker had been “removed from the Rwandan justice system” and handed over to Gabonese authorities.
Augustin Lobelle Yembi had been held in custody in Rwanda pending trial over alleged violence against a RwandAir supervisor at Kigali airport. Rwandan authorities authorised his departure on September. 6.
According to the National Assembly, the outcome was made possible by diplomatic efforts between the two countries and relations between Gabonese President Brice Clotaire Oligui Nguema and Rwandan President Paul Kagame.
Judicial proceedings to continue in Gabon
The lawmaker’s return does not, however, bring the proceedings to an end. He is now expected to be placed at the disposal of the Gabonese justice system, which will examine the circumstances surrounding the incident and determine the next steps in the case.
The National Assembly’s Bureau said it was still awaiting a formal referral before deciding on any measures related to Yembi’s parliamentary status, particularly his parliamentary immunity.
Thus, while diplomatic intervention has prevented the case from proceeding before the Rwandan justice system, the judicial proceedings remain open in Gabon, where responsibility will have to be established in accordance with national procedures.
DM/ac/lb/as/APA