Credit Foncier Case: Abah Abah gets 25-year jail term

The former Director of Taxation and others were found guilty of embezzling over FCFA 6 billion.

Consternation broke out in Hall One of the Yaounde Special Criminal Court, SCC, at about 7 pm on January 13, 2015 after former Director of Taxation and Finance Minister, Abah Abah Polycarpe received a 25-year jail sentence for embezzling over FCFA 6 billion worth of State workers’ contributions to Credit Foncier du Cameroun, CFC or the National Housing Loan Scheme, alongside some co-accused. The acts were committed between 1998 and 2004.

Reading out the verdict, the President of the court, Mr. Justice Yap Abdou, who was assisted by Mr. Justice Francis Moukoury and Mrs. Justice Eloundou Virginie, sentenced Abah Abah to 25 years imprisonment and ordered the confiscation of over 30 landed property in the country; all belonging to him. Also, the former Tax Director is to lose 8 vehicles and three tractors, while his local accounts worth over FCFA 26 million were also seized. The government bench was led by Advocate General Mougnoutou Arouna.

The co-accused, Manga Pascal, who was on the run, was sentenced to 15 years imprisonment, just like CFC General Manager, Edou Joseph and Meke Raphael. Out of the nine accused, Eloumba Thérèse, Mewoulou Oyono épouse Mballa Hélène and Evina Sylvie Chantal épouse Avocey, were acquitted. The case against Tenlep Tenlep Joseph and Etogo Mebezele Luc Evarice was dropped following their death.

On the other hand, Joseph Edou was accused of embezzling FCFA 15 million alone, FCFA 6 billion with Abah Abah; while Abah Abah alone was accused of unlawfully collecting FCFA 1.1 billion. To make up for the financial losses caused by the embezzlement, Abah Abah and Manga Pascal were to pay FCFA 7.5 billion to CFC; Abah Abah alone FCFA 1.2 billion to the State; Joseph Edou and Meke Raphael FCFA 310 million to CFC. Finally, Joseph Edou alone had to pay FCFA 18 million to CFC.

During the first hearing of the case on December 18, 2013, Polycarpe Abah Abah had pleaded not guilty to five counts of embezzling the total sum of FCFA 4.9 billion between 1999 and 2004 alongside the co-accused.