Gabon/Justice: Port-Gentil Tribunal Now Secure. PORT-GENTIL, Gabon — 23 March 2026 (AGP) – In response to the vandalism that occurred at the Port-Gentil Tribunal de première instance on the night of 20-21 March, the Minister of Justice, Augustin Émane, conducted an inspection visit to the economic capital on Monday to assess the situation, according to a ministry press release. Accompanied by Mayor Pascal Houagni Ambouroué and Prefect Marie Caroline Kamara of the Bendjé department, the government official visited the primary court, the children’s court, the provincial audit chamber, the administrative court, and the central prison of Port-Gentil.
At the main judicial site affected, the minister’s assessment highlighted significant security deficiencies.
The jurisdiction lacks an adequate access control system, relying solely on a private security guard instead of a system managed by defense and security forces. Initial findings of the investigation opened by the Port-Gentil prosecutor suggest that the break-in was facilitated by a power cut, which disabled the video surveillance system.
The intruders, who appeared well — informed and equipped with appropriate tools, forced the door to the seals office and removed several valuable items. This incident comes days after similar occurrences at the Libreville Tribunal de première instance, prompting the establishment of a reflection committee to define a national strategy for securing judicial institutions.
In this context, the Minister of Justice announced the immediate reinforcement of the Port — Gentil judicial palace’s security measures, now under the protection of prison security agents, an entity under his department.
During the tour, issues related to improving working conditions and judicial infrastructure were also discussed. Concerns were expressed by the heads of various jurisdictions, which the Minister of Justice assured would be taken into account, inviting stakeholders to formalize their needs through specifications for progressive government consideration.
Further details are expected as the government addresses the security and infrastructure concerns of the judicial system in Gabon.
