Akumchi Awa Peter acquitted!

The Special Criminal Court yesterday, April 16, 2014, passed its judgment on the Littoral Treasury embezzlement trial.

Suspense gripped the first floor of the Special Criminal Court yesterday April 16 in Yaounde before the President of the Court, Mr Justice Yap Abdou could pass the court's judgement in the case between the State of Cameroon represented by the Ministry of Finance and Akumchi Awa Peter, Former Paymaster General of the Treasury of the Littoral Region in Douala and Nfeugwang Richard, an economic operator.

After a ten minute break, the Head of the Panel of Judges hearing the case, Mr Justice Yap Abdou read out the court's judgement in which Akumchi Awa Peter and Co were declared not guilty of acting in concert in attempting to embezzle State funds worth FCFA 286 million. One of the defence counsels, Barrister Patrice Monthe, said the Advocate General wanted the Special Criminal Court to punish his clients for embezzling some FCFA 286 million.

But finally, after so many adjournments, the court declared that they were not guilty. According to Barrister Monthe, the accused were declared not guilty because the Legal Department could not prove that Akumchi Awa Peter and Nfeugwang Richard were involved in embezzlement or attempted to embezzle.

He noted that the Legal Department had no witness to testify against Awa Peter. As such, the accuser had lost the case before even establishing it. Also, documents presented against the accused by the Legal Department had no link with what they were accused of.

Speaking to the press, Akumchi Awa Peter said the Special Criminal Court has done its work and this is an indication that there is still justice in Cameroon. He said, he was not only happy with the court's decision but also praised for the judicial system in Cameroon that is beginning to change.

Awa Peter explained that he was accused as an accomplice in the payment of some fake State vouchers worth over FCFA 260 million which was regularly issued by the Ministry of Finance. When this happened, Awa Peter noted, "I was the Regional Treasurer in Douala and I took all necessary measures to make sure that I had specific information about all vouchers I paid out. I never paid vouchers without being certain of the source."

At the same period, Akumchi Peter Awa was accused of being an accomplice in embezzlement; he said he was able to track down some fake vouchers worth FCFA One billion that he sent to the Ministry of Defence for investigation. According to Awa Peter, he could not be doing one thing, on the one hand, and another thing on another hand.

The former Paymaster said, "I have never, for the 26 years I have worked as a State Accountant at the highest level in the country, requested or asked somebody to give me money for any service I rendered". The current accusation against him, he said, was a big surprise to him and his family and more particularly to all his collaborators who have worked with him.