Prominent activist released

An anti-government activist who made videos that were deemed hostile to Gabonese President Ali Bongo was been released after serving 17 months in detention, his lawyer said. Herve Kinga, who was arrested over a number of video clips he showed in a public place, was released after the court threw out the case, his lawyer Anges Nzigou said. At his first appearance in court last Monday, prosecutors sought an eight-year prison term with three years suspended for Mombo Kinga. A report on the News24 site notes that Kinga is a known supporter of Gabonese opposition leader Jean Ping, who lost the August 2016 presidential election to Bongo by a very slim margin, in a result he denounced as fraudulent.