After Life Jail Forjindam Appears Again Before Court

The FCFA 22 million embezzlement charge is the last of the three different charges brought against Zaccheus Mungwe Fonjindam, former General Manager of the Cameroon Shipyard and Industrial Engineering Limited (CNIC). He is said to have misappropriated the amount during his tenure between 2007 and 2008.

In a brief hearing Thursday afternoon, the Wouri High Court simply adjourned the hearing to October 11 to give time for defence lawyers to be acquainted with the case file. Once trial begins it will be the first time the court will be sitting to hear the third embezzlement case.

The former managing head of the State Corporation showed up for another trial on Thursday, September 27; barely a few weeks after the Littoral Court of Appeal unleashed a life-sentence verdict against him.

Forjindam was sued by his collaborators for allegedly embezzling FCFA 218 million. In the trial that ensued at the Wouri High Court in Bonanjo, he was rather found guilty of embezzlement of FCFA 9 million of State funds. He was slammed a dozen years jail. Following his appeal of the sentence, the Littoral Court of Appeal in Douala found him rather guilty of embezzling only FCFA 4 million but passed a 15-year-jail. Following another charge that had been appealed, the Littoral Court of Appeal slammed him life jail over misappropriation of FCFA 206 million. In effect he will first of all serve the 15 years imprisonment before starting the life sentence, according to one of his defence lawyers, Baombe Djoubairou.

If he be found guilty again in the on-going embezzlement (FCFA 22 million) case at the Wouri High Court, he will be sentenced for the third time, and with three different penalties.