A judge prepared to hear the matter brought by the opposition has been suspended, leaving the court without a quorum to proceed.

The oil-rich state of Gabon has been under the rule of the Bongo dynasty since 1967 when President Ali Bongo’s father Omar come to power.

His son Ali, who  took over after his death in 2009, suffered a stroke ten months ago and has all but disappeared from the public eye.

In addition to hamstringing the Appeal Court’s efforts to rule on his physical ability to run the country, the power elite has suspended a journalist who reported that the President was unable to stand to salute troops at last week’s independence day parade. 

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