By Yussuf Sariki
Marafa Hamidou Yaya, former
minister of state in charge of territorial administration and decentralization,
MINATD has spoken. His last word at the Mfoundi High Court last Thursday
September 6, 2012 in the embezzlement case involving 29 million US dollars for
the purchase of a presidential plane has been consistent. Before Justice Gilbert
Schlick adjourned the case for its verdict on September 21, 2012, Marafa
insisted on his innocence. He told the court that he should rather be sentenced
for obeying the head of state and not for embezzlement.
Last week’s
session was the last, before the final verdict, during which Marafa’s lawyers
made pleas, after earlier submissions by the state counsel last August 27. The state
counsel gave all reasons why Marafa and Yves Michel Fotso needed to be jailed.
He unveiled how GIA, the leasing company was Fotso’s creation, with 80% of its
shares owned by him (Fotso), while 20% by Marafa. Worse still, the state
counsel revealed that it was Marafa not Michel Meva’a Meboutou who ordered for
the disbursement of the $29 million out of the $31 and that the money ended up
in the bank account of GIA.
The state
counsel further proved the guilt of Marafa and Fotso, when he insinuated that
of the 29 million US dollars, some $1.150.000 went into Marafa’s account,
though Marafa claimed he never knew the source of the money. The state counsel
further faulted Marafa on grounds that his bank account number could not have
been in the possession of Fotso, without him knowing what business they had.
The court even debunked Marafa’s earlier argument that he never knew Fotso.
But in his
final plea last week, Marafa stood his grounds that he was not guilty. That the
head of state was aware of every step he took towards the purchase of the
presidential plane. To this, he said, he should rather be jailed for obeying
the head of state and not for embezzlement.
Next week’s
verdict is expected to pull a huge crowd. Yet, Chronicle gathered that security
measures are being taken not to entertain the kind of vociferous crowds that
cocooned the court premises at the start of the trial.
It is
highly probable that both Marafa and Yves Michel Fotso, could be slammed life
jail sentences, if the pontifications of the state counsel are anything to go
by. Yet, should Marafa’s position be considered, then varied complications
come-in. During one of the session when Marafa was crossed-examined by
Barrister Monthe, he was asked: “Are you convinced that you carried out very
well the assignment (mission) given you by the Head of State when you were his
immediate collaborator?
Answer: I accomplished
very well my mission which was to ensure the acquisition of a new plane. I
ensured the construction of a new plane which was very close to being equipped.
It was immatriculated Cameroonian and insured at Chanas. A team of technicians
was actually received by Mrs. Chantal Biya after I quit position as Secretary
General at the Presidency the concept that administration is continuous was
violated. The consequence of which was the loss of 31 million US dollars by the
state of Cameroon.
Marafa proceeded to
explain that many actors were involved in the process of purchasing a
presidential plane for Biya: himself, Yves Michel Fotso, He said March 25 - 29,
2002 is the period foxed for the plane, which CAMAIR, through GIA.
Explaining the role of
Yves Michel Fotso, he said he was brought in ad Director of CAMAIR. He was
required for his technical expertise. The head of state and Minister of Finance
could not also be left out. A concertation meeting held at Unity Palace
and the subject was the purchase of a presidential plane.
Asked why he Marafa
didn’t negotiate directly with Boeing instead of GIA, and save the country the
embarrassment of losing 29 million US dollars. To this, he replied that Yves
Michel Fotso had already presented GIA as a credible in the eyes of Boeing with
documents that were satisfactory to all.
Why The Marafa/Fotso
Revelations Are Very Embarrassing to Biya
It is an honour for the
citizens of every country to see their President travel abroad or return home
in a befitting plane. It is shameful, to see a President stranded abroad as it
was the case of Goodluck Jonathan, Nigeria’s president sometimes ago in Uganda. The
Nigerian Senate immediately sat and voted that three jets be purchased for him.
Cameroon
is a very rich country which in the days of Amadou Ahidjo often sent a plane to
the Equato-Guinean president to travel.
The idea of a plane for
the Cameroonian Head of State is therefore not out of place. The whole thing
became a scandal because many of the top officials assigned the task to buy a
presidential plane were anxious to make fast cash. Because of this greed, a
faulty plane was brought which nearly cost the President and family to lose
their lives.
The issue is
more of an embarrassment to Biya because the decision to buy a presidential
plane was taken at a time when the Regime had portrayed Cameroon as a
poor country. The IMF which Cameroon
has solicited for a bail out would surely find the idea of a new plane
incompatible with the idea of structural adjustment and fighting poverty. The
exposure of the Biya regime’s intrigues through Marafa and Fotso is why the
international community and Cameroonians are interested in the Albatross trial.
The days ahead promise equal or more startling revelations as the trial gathers
momentum. But Biya has one lesson to learn from these embarrassments. That no
human being is wise enough to be successful all the time.
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