Abah Abah escapes prison in legal hot waters

The former Minister of the Economy and Finance, Polycarpe Abah Abah, who is serving a 25-year jail term at the Kondengui Prison, is facing trial at the Ekounou Magistrate Court in Yaounde for attempting to escape from prison.

According to the charge sheet against the erstwhile Minister, Abah Abah attempted to escape when the prison authorities gave him permission to go for consultation at the Yaounde Central Hospital.

The case that was expected to take a decisive turn on August 17 was adjourned to September 21. This is because one of the Judges on the panel was said to be on leave, thus compelling the Court to adjourn the case.

The genesis of the case dates back to May 11, 2012, when the prison authorities gave the former Minister permission to go for medical consultation.

The Post learnt that secret security operatives used wits to frustrate what they claimed was Abah Abah’s escape ruse that was allegedly hatched with the complicity of some prison guards.

Insiders stated that ,the scenario unfolded when the Prison Doctor, Norbert Ndi, declared at the time that Abah Abah was very sick and needed medical attention.

The Superintendent reportedly endorsed the report presented by the doctor. In response to this approval, Abah Abah was taken to the Yaounde Central Hospital in the prison bus, for consultation.

The former Minister was led under tight security with an escort team made up of three warders under the supervision of the Deputy Chief of Service for Administration and Finance at the Kondengui Prison, Minkala Minkala.

After consulting at the hospital, The Post learnt, Abah Abah pleaded with his escort team to allow him go to his house in the Odza neighbourhood in Yaounde. The prison guards granted the former Minister’s request.

It was reported that, unknown to them, they were being trailed right from the prison by armed-to-teeth anti-gang elements purportedly from the Directorate General of External Research popularly known by its French acronym as DGRE.

Going by our sources, no sooner did Abah Abah and his escort team enter the erstwhile Minister’s house than the anti-gang men stormed the place.

They reportedly asked the escort team to explain how they found themselves at the abode of the former Minister when they were given strict instructions to follow only the prison-to-hospital and hospital-to-prison itinerary.

The prison guards retorted that the anti-gang men did not have any authority and should therefore stop querying them. After the exchange words between the two camps, Abah Abah and his escort were whisked off for interrogation at the headquarters of DGRE.

It is reported that they were later taken away into detention at the Judicial Police Headquarters in Yaounde.

During this period that spanned close to ten hours on May 11, 2012, The Post was told, the State apparatus was in absolute panic to the effect that Abah Abah might have planned something more serious.

The Minister of Justice, Laurent Esso, reportedly called the Prison Superintendent, Daniel Njeng, and gave him a proper scolding, accusing him of negligence and lack of professionalism.

By 5.00pm that day, the Minister issued an order sacking Daniel Njeng barely one year after he was commissioned into office.