Arrest Warrants Prepared For Ndop & Balikumbat Mayors - Bail for Mbengwi, Andek, Njikwa Mayors Expires August 16; Destined To Meet Tenoh In Jail

Misappropriation:

By Tetuh Mbah

Out of the eight mayors, deputy and ex-mayors in the North West region involved in the stamps racket which debits the State Treasury of some 200 million FCFA, only those in Momo division have been quizzed. Already, Tenoh Lawrence, Mayor of Batibo is detained at the Bamenda prison. But Mayors Johnnie Agogho of Andek and George Tah Mbah of Mbengwi are expected to be remanded in custody, when they appear before the Examining Magistrate at the Mbengwi court chambers on Thursday August 16, 2012. Yet, the fate of Ngoketunjia mayors, caught in the same scam had since been shrouded. But last weekend, Chronicle gathered that the Minister of Justice had ordered for arrest warrants to be prepared for Daniel Ntoh, Mayor of Ndop and Augustine Wasum of Balikumbat.

An authoritative source at the Ndop legal department also hinted Chronicle that though the Examining Magistrates were new, (transferred from Nkambe and Bamenda respectively), gives reason why the files of Ntoh Daniel and Wasum Augustine were still being delayed. Chronicle was told that having been pricked by their boss, both Mayors could be arrested at any time before their matter comes up in plain court or in chambers.

Mayor Ntoh, the CPDM Mayor of Ndop is accused of misappropriation of state revenue, following the sales of communal stamps, not accountable. Ntoh collected stamps worth 10 million FCFA but only pain-in 205.000 FCFA. The same applies for Augustine Wasum, Mayor of Balikumbat.

Observers have questioned why the Batibo Mayor, Tenoh is detained at the Bamenda prison, for a crime he committed alongside his colleagues of Balikumbat and Ndop respectively. But as Chronicle has been told, the process is just ongoing. After Tenoh, it is expected that the mayors of Andek, Mbengwi, Ndop and Balikumbat would be picked up to clear themselves.

Mayors Ntoh and Wasum’s conditions have been preoccupying, following instructions from the Ministry of Justice. Chronicle gathered that Laurent Esso, Minister of State incharge of Justice, had been uncomfortable with the way things were going on. Accordingly, his first outrage was over the position of the Batibo State Counsel/Examining Magistrate to grant bail to Tenoh and that of Magistrate Talla to grant bail on the mayors of Andek, Mbengwi and Njikwa respectively.

Worthy to note, that Tenoh would have been released if the State Counsel’s dictates were anything to go by. Yet, he had since been remanded in custody at the Bamenda prison. The situation of the Mayors of Mbengwi, Andek and first deputy mayor of Njikwa had even been more intriguing.

Many have questioned why the Batibo mayor should be detained whereas his other colleagues who committed same crime are moving around unperturbed. Tenoh’s arrest and detention had since been qualified as political victimization. Yet, Chronicle is aware that it is a move taken to thereon surge to arrest his other colleagues.

Already, Mayors Tah George Mbah of Mbengwi, Johnnie Agogho of Andek, Godlove Awanakam (ex-Mayor of Andek) and Godwill Amahndong (1^st deputy for Njikwa) will reappear before the Examining Magistrate in Mbengwi on Thursday August 16, 2012. Magistrate Eric Talla had granted them bail, which Chronicle gathered, had since been qualified as irregular.

Chronicle had since been hinted that crimes that fall under section 184 of the Penal Code that deals with misappropriation and felony are unbailable. Accordingly, it is within this context that Chronicle learnt that the Procureur General (PG) was irked by the Mbengwi State Counsel’s position. Yet, it was late to reverse the decision granting bail to Mayors Tah George, Agogho Johnnie and others.

The mayors appear in chambers on August 16, 2012. It is believed that no bail would be granted them. Thus, Tah George, Agogho Johnnie, Awanakam Godlove, Amahndong Godwill would be ferried to meet the Batibo Mayor, Lawrence Tenoh at the Bamenda Up-station prison.

With arrest warrants already prepared for Daniel Ntoh and Augustine Wasum, Chronicle has been told that they would either be arrested and detained like Tenoh, or would simply be convoked before the Examining Magistrate in Ndop. Yet, by press time, Chronicle gathered that both Daniel Ntoh and Augustine Wasum had been struggling to raise money to pay back and be cleansed. (Turn to page 9 for facts and figures about the misappropriation scam)