A French national has filed a complaint in Libreville seeking the return of his two children, who remain in Gabon with their Gabonese mother.
Romain Granjon is seeking the return of his two children, aged 16 and 11, to France. The children initially traveled to Gabon for a holiday with their mother, who is of Gabonese origin. Granjon, who was married to the children's mother, has initiated divorce proceedings in France. A French court rejected his request for an exit ban for the children, citing return tickets provided by the mother's lawyer.
The mother brought the three children to Gabon in 2025, and none have returned to France since. A French court granted Granjon exclusive custody of the two younger children. He has now approached the Gabonese justice system to enforce this decision. A hearing is scheduled for September 10 at the Libreville Court of First Instance to address the complex case, which involves an international child abduction complaint based on the Hague Convention.
Granjon's Gabonese lawyer has filed a complaint for illicit international child displacement and immediate restitution. The mother, through her French lawyers, claims psychological trauma within the family in France, affecting her and the children, particularly the younger one with behavioral issues. She asserts she is solely responsible for the children's care and education in Libreville, while Granjon claims she has stable financial resources in Gabon, which she disputes.
Why it mattersTwo children are affected by a custody dispute between their French father and Gabonese mother, with legal proceedings underway in both countries.
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