Libreville, Aug 5 (Prensa Latina) Gabon president, Ali Bongo Ondimba, lamented the recent arrest in Paris of his chief of staff, Maixent Accrombessi Nkani to question him for alleged corruption, it was announced here today.
Considered faithful collaborator of the leader, Accrombessi was arrested on Monday as part of a judicial investigation for corruption when staying in the VIP lounge of the Paris Charles de Gaulle international airport to board a flight to Libreville.

In a statement, the Gabonese Presidency considered the fact reprehensible because it focuses on matters completely alien to his role as chief of staff, and has been a staging a role whose only purpose was to humiliate the person concerned and damage the Republic of Gabon.

The text strongly denounces 'this way of acting that has been recurrent and violates fundamental principles and practices of international law'.

After the arrest, Acrrombessi was sent to the headquarters of the judicial police, downtown in Paris, and was released a few hours later after the French Foreign Ministry told the investigators that he received a letter granting him diplomatic immunity.

The African politician was asked about an agreement to obtain military uniforms signed between Gabon and a French company.

The media assured that the arrest of one of the most influential and controversial figures in Gabon aroused tensions between the African nation rich in oil and France, from which it gained its independence in 1960.