Mr. President
I am once more writing to you
from the Kondengui Maximum Prison where am being held. First of all, I wish to
solemnly reaffirm my innocence in relation to what I am being accused of and I
hope that I will sufficiently prove my innocence in a competent court. If I am
writing to you today, it is to call your attention once more to the fact that
justice must be done about the other plane saga where I was also unjustly
accused some ten years ago. Coincidentally history is repeating itself.
Prove me right and compensate the
victims, for it is only through the clear application of justice that can
enable us build a society of trust and confidence.
In all, let me present my sincere
apologies to fellow Cameroonians who lost their dear ones in the Boeing 737
CAMAIR plane crash in Douala
in 1995. I am only reawakening the
memories to emphasize again that justice be done, so that the concerned victims
of this unfortunate accident be adequately compensated. It is also a
fundamental role of the state.
In May 1994, written agreement
were arrived at in Paris, France in which South African Airways (SAA) was
charged with the maintenance of Boeing 737 and 747 belonging to the defunct
CAMAIR because of incessant malfunctioning and the gross negligence in the execution
of this contracts, the Boeing 737-200 with number TJ-CBE and Christian Le Nyong
crashed in Douala on December 03, 1995 taking away the lives of 71 persons. In
the same manner in 1997, the Boeing 747-200 Combi; Christian Le Mont Cameroon
gave away a reactor in full flight around Paris
in France.
One of our inmates in detention now in Kondengui today was one of the
passengers in that flight. Till date, he is still traumatized.
The two pilots of the Boeing 737
were my friends. The flight admiral, Mr. Younoussa Aman Sali was my childhood
friend. We shared the same bench in upper sixth in Government High School
Garoua. Secondly we shared the same bed in a Mini cite in the University of Yaounde.
Following his dead, I went to his village in Bé, not far from Garoua
accompanied by his brother the Lamido, we prayed on his grave that damages and
interests be paid.
At that time, the Minister of
State, who has always been jealous of me for reasons best known to him, and
with whom I had strained relationship as members of government as well as other
Cameroonian actors in this affair presented as the principal beneficiary of the
fruits of this corruption.
Since then, everything has been
done so that everybody knows by my guiltiness! The same newspaper that prepared
public opinion to the fact that I was to be arrested were also brought into
play, within the frame of violent campaign of hatred at the time.
Can you imagine Mr. President of
the Republic, I was your main collaborator, you use to receive me in audience
on a daily basis. Supposed that I was at the centre of this tragic scandal,
could I have looked at you everyday eyeball to eyeball?
Can you imagine Mr. President of
the Republic in may supposed overzealousness I became responsible for the death
of these two close friends and the security of our nationals.
Tormented, I tried to go as close
as possible to those who survived the plane crash. It is for this reason that I
received at my office the air hostess Miss Wlissane. In the same list, each
semester I received in my office Mr. Ndong Toung, assistant director of general
affairs at the presidency of the republic who was equally a survivor of this
plane crash. I use to sign out mission orders for him to go for medical
treatment in France
so as to meet his psychiatrics.
Beyond my concern to these two
compatriots, I tried as much as possible to clam down their spirits. Because of
the way I have been presented as a monster, this gave me permanent
psychological torture.
Since then, I swore never to
leave any stone unturned in other that the truth be established in relation to
this affair for justice to be done. Providence
came to my assistance.
Under your instructions, I
notified by correspondence dated August 26, 1999 the director general of
TRANSNET Limited of this affair (ref. Annex 1). Thereafter, I signed an arête
dated November 14, 2000 creating a follow up committee for the maintenance of
planes between CAMAIR and TRANSNET-SAA (Ref. Annex 2).
In course of the work of this
committee, the next work of this corruption was brought to day light, different
actors and beneficiaries were identified, and some even admitted their guilt
formally for their involvement, as could be seen in the report dated December
7, 2000, that the committee addressed to you.
At No Moment Was My Name Associated With This Scandalous Affair
At that time, I proposed to you
that the financial gains that our comity made from the legal actions be used in
the following manner:
a) Compensate the rightful
victims of the Boeing 737 accident to the tune of CFA 100M per person
b) Invest the balance in CAMAIR
in order to fortify the financial base of this company.
Since, I became the troublesome
witness. In effect, those had interest in seeing portrayed as a beneficiary in
the fruits of this corruption were formally unmasked and overtaken by panic.
Not only did the press stop talking of this affair but an insensitive and
diabolic strategy was put in place to finally discredit me.
It is for this that the concerned
started talking the same language. Mr. Bantu Holomisa, at the time member of
parliament in South Africa
and president of a political party, United Democratic Union
badly in need of popularity. This one wrote an open letter dated March 27,
2002, addressed to his Thabo Mbeki then President of South Africa and to you
(Ref Annex 3); which he read at the
plenary session of the South African parliament requesting the putting in place
of a judicial commission of enquiry on the corruption affair implicating the
company TRANSNET.
In this letter Mr. Bantu Holomisa
repeated, according to him allegations published in Cameroon
newspapers whereby my wife’s name (repeatedly cited) had made several journeys
to South Africa
to receive kickbacks from TRANSNET.
Effectively, at the time, my wife
had made several trips to South
Africa for health reasons. She was
hospitalized several and even chirurgical operations in health clinics in South Africa
and by well known practitioners. She still goes to South Africa for follow up. Her
last trip was in March 2012.
My Wife Knows Neither TRANSNET Nor Its Management And Is In Noway
Concerned With The Vociferation of The South African MP- Bantu Holomisa
After such accusations, I by
correspondence dated April 12, 2002 addressed to him (Ref Annex 4) and
transmitted by DHL (Air transport letter no 358.2947.141) informed Mr. Bantu
Holomisa that I have taken note of his open letter and that I considered it
defamatory, and that at the end of the judicial procedure that was on course, I
reserved the right to take him to court. I equally brought to his notice that a
copy of my letter would be sent to President Thabo Mbeki and to you. You own
was transmitted the same day by me (ref. annex 5). That of Thabo Mbeki was
transmitted through DHL (air transport letter no.358.2947.701).
After several years I was
informed that judgment had been passed on the case and that TRANSNET was
condemned to pay damages to Cameroon.
To my greatest surprise, none of the beneficiaries known to have enjoyed the
fruits of this corruption were questioned, neither administratively or legally.
Even Mr. Amadou Ali who was after
all at the origin of the discovery of this affair was even interested in his
capacity as minister of justice for over ten years, even as secretary of our
compatriots lost their lives in the plane crash.
In a bid to restore my honour,
and that of my wife largely destroyed and which no one seemed to be bordered, I
contracted Mr. Tem Emmanuel, a Cameroonian lawyer at the LAPIN ATTONEY chambers
based in Johannesburg
to engage legal action for defamation against Mr. Bantu Holomisa. I brought
this to your notice by service note dated June 18, 2005 (ref. annex 6).
After closely studying the file
that I submitted to him and after taking some preliminary steps, Mr. Tem
Emmanuel assured me of the admissibility of the case and his conviction that
the defamatory case will be favourable to me in an eventual process (ref. annex
7). He however drew my attention to the fact that the matter would draw media
attention and would undoubtedly go a long way to strain relations between our
country and South Africa.
I requested an audience with you
during which I brought to your attention this argument forwarded by my lawyers.
You asked me to withdraw the matter in order to preserve our country’s
interest. As a respectful citizen I suspended the matter thereby depriving
myself of the opportunity to bring back honour to my good name and that of my
wife.
I have to reiterate to you during
this audience, the necessity to compensate the concerned victims of the Boeing
737 plane crash to the tune of CFA 100 million per person as I had already
proposed to you. To me, that would have make justice.
It was to my greatest surprise
some years after that the beneficiaries of this act of corruption were rather
promoted and some to top government offices. At that time, I brought to your
attention my refusal to collaborate with Mr. Issa Tchiroma in particular in
respect for the memory of my two friends and other victims of the crash of the
Boeing 737 of CAMAIR in 1995 found at the inner court yard of the Lamidal.
I have known the pilot, Mr. Lambo
when I was traveling about while still working at SNH. We met at his job site,
which is in planes. He was also the childhood friend of my wife in Douala. This contributed
much to our intimate friendship. Following his dead my wife and I went to
condole with his mother and the rest of the family, and prayed on his grave
found inside their compound in Douala.
In 1999 when I was secretary
general at the presidency of the republic, the minister of state, minister
delegate at the presidency in charge of defense, Mr. Amadou Ali sent a note to
you which a result of a conversation between him and his friend Milla Asoute,
indicating the negligence of the SAA was as a result of the corrupt
relationship between Cameroonian authorities and CAMAIR.
The unveiling of this corrupt
practices, legally brought to an end the contract signed between SAA and
CAMAIR. In this light, the payment of 65 million US dollars equal to
32.500.000.000 at 1$=500FCFA received by SAA in the frame work of this
contracts were to be refunded to CAMAIR.
Mr. President of the Republic,
Let render justice to these
victims for only justice can permit us to together build a solid and confident
society. These frustrations could go beyond and enflame our compatriots as they
did to Cromwell during his time. In effect, in 1653 after having learnt that
parliament had failed to agree on the internal rules of the house Cromwell lost
patience. On April 20, he attended one of the sessions and listened to one or
two interventions. Then he got up and shouted at members of parliament. This
speech had unfortunately never been recorded but it has always been paraphrased
thus “You have sat too long here for any good you have been doing. Depart I
say, and let us have done with you. In the name of God, go!”
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