Camair-Co trial: prosecution, defence to present submissions

The next hearing has been slated for September 22, 2014 after the testimony of defence witnesses on September 5, 2014.

Elong Sipa Patrick, Mbarga Yannick and Kapsic Ngah Emmanuel have testified that they fraudulently acquired Camair-Co tickets in 2011 through information gotten online. Three of the accused were testifying on September 5, 2014 at the Special Criminal Court in Yaounde in the case pitting the State of Cameroon and Camair-Co against Sow Moussa Samba and nine others. The session that held before a panel of judges led by began with the verification of the prosecution and defence counsels.

Sow Moussa Samba, Mbarga Yannick, Lamsi Afanji Alain, Massa Blaisse, Elong Sipa Patrick, Mbia Mindom William, Kapsic Ngah Emmanuel, Formishi Bertrand, Zambo Bengono Guy G. and Dia Doro Samba are accused of having bought tickets online from Camair-Co using either fake or stolen credit cards. According to reports, the accused got into the website of Camair-Co and fraudulently bought electronic flight tickets from Camair-Co.

They bought and sold the tickets to people who were in need of Camair-Co tickets. The amount of stolen online tickets is worth over FCFA 288 million. The crime is punishable under Sections 74, 96 and 184 of the Penal Code.

The September 5 hearing before by a panel of judges headed by Mrs Justice Eloundou Virginie, centred on the continuation of the examination-in-chief and cross examination of the defence witnesses. In his interrogation, defence lawyer, André Fono asked Elong Sipa Patrick to tell the court how many Camair-Co tickets he got online.

Elong said in May 2011 he had ten journeys by Camair-Co. Out of that number six were bought online and four at the Camair-Co agency. Asked to explain the process for obtaining of these tickets, he said it is simple.

He explained that Camair-co has created an online site where one can buy ticket and also owners of credit cards can buy tickets in Camair-Co online. If one has the necessary minimum, he goes to the site and buys his ticket online. He further explained that he got information on credit cards from a website which sells information on credit cards.

He said once a person is connected, the site gives information on the process for obtaining information on credit cards. He said information that is sold is the name, number and secret code of the owners of credit cards. He said the payments are generally made either through mutual banks or by Western Union. It was in 2011 that he discovered the information on credit cards and that is what he had been using.

During cross-examination, Advocate General, Esaie Ngatcha sought to know if the sale of credit cards and the sale of information is the same and if the information can be sold to several persons.

He said it is not the same because it is information on the credit card that is sold and the information on credit cards can be sold to several persons. Kapsic Ngah Emmanuel and Mbarga Yannick were next in the witness box. The presiding judge adjourned the case to September 22, 2014 to hear submissions by the prosecution and the defence.