Three Detainees Moved

Informal communication circuits were rife over the weekend in Yaounde with news of the transfer of three detained former ministers from the Yaounde Central Prison at Kondengui to the cells of the Secretariat of State for Defence, SED, in Yaounde. Sources at SED or Gendarmerie Headquarters, confirmed that the two former ministers and the former General Manager of Cameroon Airlines, CAMAIR were ferried in on Friday May 25 from Kondengui to continue pre-trial custody on charges of embezzlement.

Placed under pre-trial detention on Monday April 16, 2012, the former Minister of Territorial Administration, Marafa Hamidou Yaya, was charged with involvement in the embezzlement of money meant for the acquisition of the BBJ-2 presidential jet in 2001 through the American firm, GIA International. He has twice refused to appear before the Examining Magistrate for preliminary inquiry, PI. Reports say he is awaiting the response of the President of the Centre Regional Court of Appeal to his request seeking the recusal of Examining Judge Pascal Magnaguemabe.

The former CAMAIR boss, Yves Michel Fotso was placed in custody at the Yaounde Central Prison in Kondengui in December 2010 to also answer embezzlement charges related to the acquisition of the presidential jet. On his part, the former Finance Minister, Polycarpe Abah Abah who is under custody since March 2008 on charges of embezzlement of State funds was rearrested and detained on Friday May 11, 2012 for allegedly attempting to flee from custody at the Kondengui Central Prison, Yaounde.