Catherine Abena Trial: Lawyer demands release of detainees

On behalf of the Legal Department, Advocate General Hearing of the first defence witness in the case opposing the State of Cameroon (Ministry of Secondary Education) to the former Secretary of State at the Ministry of Secondary Education, late Eyenga Abena Catherine alongside 27 co-accused, who are mostly staff from the same ministry, could not begin last November 25, 2014 at the Special Criminal Court (SCC) in Yaounde as programmed.

One of the main accused, Nicodème Akoa Akoa, detained at the Yaounde Central Prison in the Kondengui neighbourhood, was absent in court because he is sick and admitted in hospital. While the defence lawyers asked for the case to be adjourned, Advocate General, Arouna Mougnoutou, on behalf of the Legal Department, noted that it was important for the case to be adjourned because the prosecution witness who had to testify in court had much to say concerning Nicodème Akoa Akoa.  

Besides requesting for the case to be adjourned, one of the defence lawyers, Barrister Claude Assira also asked the court to release accused persons under detention. According to Barrister Claude Assira, there were some 27 accused people in the case but only about five people were under detention at the Yaounde Central Prison. He said those in the prison should be released so that they could come to court during each hearing like others. Claude Assira gave the example of one of the accused, Minister of Secondary Education, Louis Bapes Bapes, who is not detained. The defence lawyer argued that for reasons unknown to him, Bapes Bapes was arrested, detained for 24 hours and liberated.

According to law, Barrister Assira stated, if equity has to be granted, it should be for all accused persons and not just for some. “Liberating those in prison does not disturb the hearing of the case,” Barrister Assira stressed. Although the court did not say anything about the liberation of those in prison, the head of the panel of judges hearing the case, Mrs Justice Tchouatcha Watcha Yvette epouse Siewe, assisted by Mr Justice Mamar Paba Sale and Mrs Justice Zakiyatou Alioum esp Dahirou Hayatou adjourned the case to December 5, 2014 to begin hearing of the first defence witness.

The former Secretary of State was supposed to have answered questions regarding the alleged misappropriation of public funds amounting to FCFA 55,097,000 which represented personal premiums and payments for others. Other accused in the case are also being prosecuted for either misappropriating public funds or complicity in the embezzlement of public funds.  The offences were committed between 2005 and 2006.