March 2, 2018 Cabinet Reshuffle: Former Ministers that could be marching to Kondengui

"Operation Sparrowhawk", a vast judicial operation initiated in 2006 as part of the fight against corruption in Cameroon, could swing into full action again following the recent cabinet reshuffle in Cameroon.

Suspicions are rife that ex-ministers and other state officials that lost their posts in the recent cabinet reshuffle could be entrapped by “operation sparrow hawk” if any inconsistencies are found in the management of finances during their years of stewardship.

According to a French language newspaper Mutations of Monday March 5, 2018, three ministers seem to be on the radar of “sparrow hawk”. They include Basile Atangana Kouna, Edgard Alain Mebe Ngo'o and Louis Max Ayina Ohandja.

According to the newspaper, Edgard Alain Mebe Ngo'o go could be entrapped by issues that date back to the time when he held the post of Minister Delegate at the Presidency of the Republic in charge of Defense (MINDEF). The issues include the affair of the acquisition by the former Defense minister of two helicopters from Ukraine; an operation which was aimed at strengthening the equipment of the air force, amounting to about 6 billion FCFA.

The army control mission commanded by the head of state, at the time, reportedly found that the helicopters were of poor quality.

In the other case, in connection with the acquisition of the two Chinese MA 60 aircraft, Edgard Alain Mebe Ngo'o was alleged to have bloated the price of the aircraft, which cost is said to be three times more than those purchased by the Congo.

According to Mutations, the former director of the civil cabinet of the Presidency of the Republic is also involved in the Albatross scandal.

As for Louis Max Ayina Ohandja, Mutations reports that the issues that could incriminate him date back to the time when he was director of the University Institute of Technology (IUT) of the University of Douala. The paper further reports that the budgetary and financial disciplinary council of the Higher State Council known in its French acronym as (Consupe) accuses him of having misappropriated the sum of 91.89 million FCFA.

Regarding the other potential client, Basile Atangana Kouna, it would be necessary to delve into his management as CEO of Camwater.

Launched in 2006 by Paul Biya under pressure from donors and public opinion, the Epervier anti-corruption operation is still ongoing in Cameroon. This operation has so far, victimized several state authorities. We can quote the likes of Yves Michel Fotso, former boss of Camair (25 years jail term); Jean Marie Atangana Mebara, former Secretary General at the Presidency of the republic , Ephraim Inoni, former Prime Minister (20 year jail term); Marafa Hamidou Yaya, former Secretary General for the Presidency (20 years in prison); Polycarpe Abah Abah, former Minister of Economy and Finance (25 years in prison + 6 years in prison); Urbane Olanguena Awono, former Minister of Health (20 years in prison + 10 years in prison); Alphonse Siyam Siwe, former Minister of Mines (Life imprisonment); Gervais Mendo Zé, former boss of CRTV (In remand since November 12, 2014, Trial in progress); Zacchaeus Mungwe Forjindam, former DG of the Cameroon Industrial Shipyard (Prison in perpetuity).

Also: Roger Ntongo Onguéné, former director general of Aéroports du Cameroun (30 years in prison + 20 years in prison); Gilles Roger Belinga, former director general of Société immobilière du Cameroun (20 years in prison); Emmanuel Gérard Ondo Ndong, former executive director of Feicom (20 years in prison); Mohammed Iya, former director general of Sodecoton (15 years in prison).