Outcome Of Marafa’s Verdict:
Yang’s Job Now In Danger!
By Yussuf Sariki
Ahead of the verdict on Friday,
September 21, 2012 over the failed acquisition of a presidential jet, the
Albatross scandal, uncertainty reigns supreme. The suspense has been heightened
given the defence filed by both Marafa Hamidou Yaya and Yves Michel Fotso’s
lawyers, over the absence of evidence that faults their clients. Matters have
been aggravated, following tracts already in circulation, opting for the
release of Marafa. The fear of the consequences of the verdict is what
political analysts suspect a presidential counter. Accordingly, to appease the
Moslem Northerners, should Marafa be jailed, another Nordist, pulling the same
weight like Marafa may be brought-in. Conversely, the position that could be
sacrificed may probably be that of the Prime Minister. Bayero Fadil, son of
multi-millionaire Oumarou Fadil is thus tipped to step into Yang’s shoes.
Yang’s
position, Chronicle has been told is
even hanging on the balance following a press report that he had tendered his
resignation. An allegation, which the Prime Minister long dismissed in a press
release published in Cameroon Tribune.
Yet, to some observers, there could have been no smoke without a fire.
With President
Paul Biya back in the country, a series of decrees have been signed with others
expected. Last week, President Biya reorganized the two ministries of Defence
and Old Servicemen. Analysts see this as a prelude to an imminent cabinet
shake-up, moreso after ministers had submitted their roadmaps for appraisal to
the Prime Minister.
The strategy to
‘sacrifice’ Yang with a Nordist, a school of thought holds, could play well to
dampened flared tempers should Marafa be jailed. Drawing afflatus from the
appointment of Simon Achidi Achu as Prime Minister in 1992 as a strategy to
weaken John Fru Ndi, another school of thought is skeptical whether such a
strategy of using Fadil to water-down Marafa would not backfire too.
This
notwithstanding, an authoritative source linked with the presidency hinted Chronicle that Edvord Akame Mfoumou, one-time
Minister of Finance may be one of the new entries in an impending cabinet
shake-up. But as Chronicle is aware,
Akame Mfoumou may not be in Biya’s good books, given the involvement of his
son, Eugene Akame Mfoumou in varied rackets, even before the father quit
government. And though the Beti/Essingan elite, Chronicle gathered are mounting pressure over Akame Mfoumou’s
come-back, the move seems to be very unpopular.
It will however
be Justice Gilbert Schlick, at the head of a panel of judges at the Mfoundi High
Court in Yaounde, to decide the fate of Marafa and Yves Michel Fotso: whether
to bank on the pontifications of the State Counsels, who intimated that Marafa
and Fotso are guilty of embezzling 31 million US dollars (24 billion FCFA),
money meant for the purchase of a presidential plane, the Albatross. Worse
still, that Marafa who claimed not to have had any links with Fotso was proven
wrong with documents, unveiling how some 1.150.000 US dollars went into his
(Marafa’s) account, allegedly channeled by Fotso.
Yet during the
last court hearing, Marafa told the court that he informed the Head of State
about every step he took in connection with the purchase of the presidential
plane. And before the court rose, Marafa swore that he was not guilty; noting
that the better he be jailed for obeying the Head of State than being linked
with the embezzlement of 31 million US dollars.
Marafa’s lawyers, on their part, pleaded how the
prosecution had built its case on lies and affirmations, rather than relevant
evidence writes, Cameroon Tribune.
These varied positions are what have been generating curiosity and security
concerns
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