Charles Metouk, former General Manager of the National Oil Refinery Company, SONARA, Limbe, who has been in pre-trial detention at the Kondengui prison since May 8, 2013, appeared before the Special Criminal Court, SCC, on February 18. He was summoned on charges of embezzlement brought against him and four others by the State.

He and two other accused, Ngalle Mouelle Noe and Edinguele Jean Joule were present in court while Dikoume Albert Leonard and Tiako Etienne did not honour the court’s invitation.

The five are accused of having embezzled FCFA 514M at SONARA, of which FCFA 108M was fraudulently retained from the signing of a contract with a private company while FCFA 408M are taxes to the state fraudulently retained by the accused.

Justice Yap Abdou, President of SCC assisted by Justices Nyassa and Nina Galina alongside Justices Tagiyin and Adebada as advocates focused attention on the identification of the accused, presentation of witnesses and reading of charges on the first day of the hearing.

Defense counsel for Tiako Etienne, one of the accused, petitioned that his client’s trial be cancelled because he reimbursed the money he is accused of embezzling last January.

Barrister Nguesse Sylvestre, counsel for Ngalle Mouelle also submitted that the detention warrant against his client be lifted because he was earlier accused and interrogated on different charges, yet at the SCC he was charged on new counts but did not undergo questioning.

Charles Metouck who served as General Manager of SONARA between September 2002 and February 2013 was found guilty of mismanagement and embezzlement following an audit of the Company by the Supreme State Control in 2009 carried out on the instruction of the Head of State.

He was relieved of his duties as General Manager on February 15, 2013 during an extraordinary board session and replaced by Ibrahim Talba Malla. Three days later, on February 18, he was caught signing and destroying some official documents of the Company.

The Limbe High Court in April 2013 sentenced him to 9 years for destruction of documents, illegal possession of office keys and badge of office.

He was detained at Buea Central Prison from where he was transferred to Yaoundé Kondengui prison.

Hearing on his case has been adjourned to March 11, 2015.