An application filed on September the 22nd by the Gabonese Minister of Justice to the International Criminal Court has been accepted late today. The ICC prosecutor, Fatou Bensouda has announced the opening of a preliminary investigation into the situation in Gabon to examine “incitement to commit genocide” and “crimes against humanity” denounced by the Gabonese authorities.

The President Ali Bongo administration made the application following violence that occurred after the announcement of the provisional results of the presidential election that held on the 27^th of August pursuant to Article 14 of the Rome Statute.

The decision, Cameroon Intelligence Report understands was reached in order to expose more crimes within the jurisdiction of the Court committed in the context of the presidential elections by supporters of the losing candidate, Jean Ping.

Jean Ping in a recent address, announced that despite the verdict of the Constitutional Court and the recount- “polling station by polling station” monitored by the African Union, he was the elected president of Gabon. Jean Ping has also again rejected political dialogue proposed by President Bongo and called for resistance.

By Soter Tarh Agbaw-Ebai