Cameroon: Sparrow Hawk Haunts Ex-Gov’t Officials

The government of Cameroon has banned several former top officials from leaving the country. Three Cameroonian public figures, including a former minister, were detained in Yaoundé for alleged financial malpractice in connection with the anti-corruption operation “sparrow hawk”, AFP said on Thursday.

According AFP, Louis Max Ohandja, former secretary of state to the Minister of Public Works, in charge of roads, Jean William Sollo, former boss of a public corporation and Bruno Bekolo Ebe, former rector of the University of Douala, were placed on Wednesday evening in pre-trial detention in Kondengui, the central prison of Yaoundé.

“They are accused of financial embezzlement, but the amounts will not be known until the judicial information has been opened,” explained an official of the Special Criminal Court (TCS), the judicial body that indicted them.

Cameroon: Sparrow Hawk Haunts Ex-Gov’t Officials

William Sollo is reportedly the subject of a proceeding for alleged embezzlement within the Cameroon water utilities corporation (Camwater).

From 2012 to 2016, Sollo managed this public company, which recently took over the running water distribution service from a private company.

Bekelo Ebe and Ohandja are suspected of financial misconduct at Douala University. In 2014, the Budgetary and Financial Disciplinary Board, an official body that investigates governance problems in public administrations and companies, declared Bekolo Ebe a debtor of 2.4 billion FCFA (3.7 million euros).

The former state secretary to the Minister of Public Works, Mr Ohandja, was the director of a vocational school at the University of Douala before being promoted to Minister.

Also, former minister of water and energy has arrived Yaounde Yesterday after being tracked down. Basil Atangana kouna who was barred from leaving Cameroon was picked up in Nigeria where he was trying to travel out of the continent, sources aid on Thursday.

Meanwhile Robert Nkili former transport minister,Pr Élie Claude Ndam Njitoyap Director of the Yaounde General hospital and Jean Louis Beh Mengue, former Director of the telecommunications regulatory board are all under the loop answering corruption charges.

Source -- JournalduCameroun