Marafa-Fotso Trial Enters Third Phase

Third defence witness in the marathon Marafa-Fotso trial, Nkounda Julienne, went through examination-in-chief, cross examination and re-examination at the Mfoundi High Court in Yaounde last Friday August 17.

Responding to questions, Nkounda Julienne, who is former Deputy General Manager of Commercial Bank of Cameroon, CBC, said she was not aware of any transfer by government of the sum of 31 million US Dollars (about FCFA 24 billion) to the US-based aircraft leasing company, GIA International. She added that she did not participate in the August 22, 2001 CBC bank operation wherein GIA International credited the CBC account of another company, BEITH Limited, with 16 million US Dollars.

At the end of the exercise, Presiding Judge Gilbert Schlick gave one week to prosecution and defence to prepare their submissions that will be heard in open court from August 27. He congratulated both parties for good conduct throughout the trial which he said was going on hitch-free.

Former Secretary General at the Presidency, Marafa Hamidou Yaya is charged alongside former Cameroon Airlines boss, Yves Michel Fotso, former CBC executive, Nkounda Julienne and three others, with jointly embezzling the sum of FCFA 24 billion disbursed by the National Hydrocarbons Corporation, SNH, in 2001 for the purchase of a presidential aircraft.