Forjindam Slammed 15 Years; Thereafter Life Jail Sentence

Manipulation or Reality?

- Verdict Appealed To The Supreme Court

By IO Fossung

Zacheus Mungwe Forjindam, former Director General of Chantier Naval (CNIC), as per last week’s verdict would die in prison. The Wouri high court in Douala, hit the final nail on Forjindam’s coffin last Friday, July 20, 2012. Probably ‘planned’, and coming on the heels of an appeal court ruling Forjindam was sanctioned like his Anglophone folk, Alphonse Siyam Siewe. His life jail term came a day after the Littoral court of appeal instead jailed him for 15 years; whereas 2 years ago, in a verdict slammed by the Wouri high court, Forjindam was sentenced to 12 years and all his property seized.

Forjindam’s appeal court ruling last Wednesday July 18, was remarkable for one thing: out of the seven (7) counts which Forjindam was sentenced of, by the Wouri high court, Forjindam was discharged and acquitted of five (5) counts. It could have been six (6), yet as the court proffered, because he did not supervise his cashier.

The Littoral court of appeal headed by Justice Minko Minko ruled that Forjindam was guilty of the 7^th count, because he failed to control his Director of Finance, a certain Antoine Njambe and his collaborators.

Unlike the high court ruling some 2 years ago, the appeal court verdict though nailed Forjindam to serve 15 instead of 12 years in jail was more considerate. Accordingly, all his property, cars and bank accounts that were frozen were given back. Yet, the court cited that his plots at Nkwen, Santa all totally four (4) plots with land titles he acquired after 2004 were frozen.

Implicitly with the appeal court ruling last week, all his property: cars, land and houses that were confiscated have been recovered. Even his residence at Up-station Bamenda and Bonanjo-Douala have still been left for him, unlike the last Wouri high court ruling.

Yet, analysts pinpoint that Forjindam is merely nailed by Laurent Esso, Minister of State in charge of Justice and Keeper of the Seals.

Lawyers pursuing the Forjindam file have not give up. Chronicle has been told that it is a matter meant for the last. Accordingly, because Forjindam’s lawyers claim he is innocent and merely being scape-goated, he has to be defended to the last. To this, Chronicle was told that Forjindam’s file is inelastic.

A file, by press time, Chronicle has been told, had been prepared and deposited at the supreme court. Chronicle further gathered that Forjindam had still been claiming his innocence.

(Read Manawa on page 9, on how Operation Epervier victims have seldom survived the hook).