Abakar Mansale On the Run

The audience at the at the Special Criminal Court in Yaounde on December 19, 2013 was rather disappointed as the prosecution and defence benches were virtually absent for hearing of the case pitting the State of Cameroon and the Cameroon Postal Services (CAMPOST) against Abakar Mansale, former treasurer of CAMPOST in Touboro in the North Region.

The session heard by the panel of judges led by Mr. Justice Francis Moukoury and accompanied by Mr Justice Onana Michel and Mr. Justice Eyango Lucien, was a rather brief one as the accused and the representative of the CAMPOST were all absent. The case was later adjourned to January 10, 2014 to summon CAMPOST as well as the production of the list of prosecution's witnesses.

Abakar Mansale is accused of embezzling over FCFA 117 million when he was the treasurer of CAMPOST in Touboro in the North Region. On May 19, 2011, a control mission from the North Regional Delegation of CAMPOST went to Touboro for normal routine checks. On arrival, the team noticed that the treasurer had disappeared into thin air. All attempts to contact him proved futile.

Five days later, May 24, 2014, on the instructions of the North Regional Chief of Service for treasury and accounts and accompanied by a sheriff bailiff, the office of Abakar Mansale was forced opened. An inventory carried out immediately showed a deficit of FCFA 117,128,787 for the period of April 1 to May 23, 2011. Investigations were carried out by the gendarmerie brigade of Touboro. The North Regional delegate for CAMPOST then reported the matter to the court. Abakar Mansale has been on is presently on the run since May 19, 2011.