Ngolzamba Camille Joseph, mayor of the town of Mbang in the Kadey division, Easter Region, was arrested on December 29, 2015.

According to Mutations newspaper on January 5, the mayor, who is also head of the Mezimé canton did not return home a week after.

“It’s true, he was actually arrested. He spent the end of year party at Kondengui," informed an elite in Bertoua who was contacted by Mutations.

The exact reasons for his arrest are not known but our colleague believes that “the mayor was accused of misappropriation of the 2 billion and 62 million FCFA. All indications stated that his arrest was as a result of numerous denunciations made through intermediaries at Mbang on the management of the municipality by the accused, including embezzlement concerning the management of forest royalty."

The newspaper also indicated that a group of traditional leaders of Mbang on August 11, 2014, sent a letter of denunciation to the Prosecutor General of the Special Criminal Court (SCC), with a copy to Paul Biya.

Whistleblowers believe that “the mayor reportedly confiscated to his own funds, land and forest fees from the town and the people.”

The document entitled “complaint against Joseph Camille Ngolzamba (Mbang mayor since 2002 Editor’s note) for misappropriation of public money, bribery and coercion,” was received at the SCC four days later, said the private newspaper.