Actualités of Saturday, 20 September 2014

Source: Cameroon Tribune

Prosecution witness nails Ambassa Zang

Vallery Bakoen was testifying at the Special Criminal Court on September 17, 2014 at the trial of the former Minister of Public Works.

Valery Baoken has testified that Dieudonné Ambassa Zang Telesphore, former Minister of Public Works, embezzled over FCFA 5 billion between 2003 and 2006 meant for the rehabilitation of the River Wouri Bridge.

He was testifying at the Special Criminal Court in Yaounde during the third hearing of the case pitting the State of Cameroon and the Ministry of Public Works against Ambassa Zang and four others, September 17, 2014.

The former Minister of Public Works is accused of embezzling over FCFA 5. 2 billion, while co accused Pierre Germain Nnah Obono over FCFA 40 million.

Meanwhile, Scholastique Henriette Simone Bikié, former Sub-director of Human Resources and Materials, Jean Robert Mengue Meka, former Secretary General and Mekongo Abega Félix Debeauplan, former cashier respectively allegedly embezzled FCFA 36 million, FCFA 153 million and FCFA153 million.

Valery Baoken before a panel of judges led by the President of the Court Mr. Justice Yap Abdou Yap Abdou said a team from the Supreme State Audit was in the Ministry of Public Works for an inquiry which revealed several cases of fraud.

He explained that according to the report of the Supreme State Audit team, Amabassa Zanag fraudulently disbursed over FCFA 5 billion for the rehabilitation of the River Wouri Bridge as well as money from donors.

Furthermore Dieudonné Ambassa Zang gave the sum of FCFA 73 million, FCFA 16 million and FCFA 59 million, to Mekongo Abega Félix Debeauplan, former cashier, to pay members of certain committees in the ministry and also members of the Contracts Board.

During that period, Ambassa Zang disbursed FCFA 40 million to Pierre Germain Nnah Obono for the rehabilitation of the Kondombo ferry. The justifying documents of these expenditures according to him cannot be found in the Ministry of Public Works.

The prosecution sought to know the roles of Jean Robert Mengue Meka, former Secretary General and Scholastique Henriette Simone Bikié, Sub director of human resources and equipment. He said they were workers of the management of SIGIPES in the Ministry of Public Works.

He said FCFA 66 million cannot be justified in the management of SIGIPES. The presiding judge adjourned the case to October 2, 2014 pending continuation of interrogation of prosecution witnesses.