Name: Gabon detains tourism minister after alleged $18m funds theft
Uploaded: 2025-12-03T17:04:15.087Z
Duration: 49 s
Description: Investigators see Pascal Ogowé Siffon as a serious flight risk after he was detained while attempting to leave the capital.

Investigators see Pascal Ogowé Siffon as a serious flight risk after he was detained while attempting to leave the capital.

Libreville

Gabon’s tourism minister, Pascal Ogowe-Siffon, has been placed under house arrest following his detention as he tried to leave the capital, Libreville. Authorities suspect him of embezzling approximately $18 million allocated for tourism development, sourced from public funds and investments in sectors such as oil and gas.

Investigators are examining the use of these funds and the lack of proper accounting for certain operations. The decision to place a sitting minister under house arrest is described as rare and politically sensitive, but officials considered Siffon a flight risk after his apparent attempt to flee.

Gabon detains tourism minister after alleged $18m funds theft

Gabon's tourism minister Pascal Ogowe-Siffon has been placed under house arrest after being detained as he attempted to leave Libreville. He was apprehended on a national highway as he appeared to be making a hasty departure from the capital. Siffon is suspected of embezzling nearly $18 million intended for the development of the tourism sector. The money comes from public appropriations, dividends from state-requisitioned hotels and various investment mechanisms, including in the oil and gas sector. Investigators hope to determine how the funds were used and why certain operations did not have the necessary accounting justifications. While placing a sitting minister under house arrest is rare and politically sensitive, the authorities see him as a serious flight risk after his apparent attempt to flee the city.

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