Defense to argue in Sodecoton Case

The Sodecoton case is anticipated to continue with lots of writings and exchanges on Thursday, August 20th at TCS.

For two days, the defense lawyers had held the courtroom of the Special Criminal Court (TCS) going. On August 5 and 6, the audience was even believed to be in an amphitheater where they are taught law courses.

In their pleadings, each drew their arguments either from the Holy Scriptures or from the various articles of the Criminal Code. The goal was to prove that their clients were not guilty in the case of Public Prosecutor and State of Cameroon against Iya Mohamed, former general manager of the Cotton Development Corporation (Sodecoton) and his co-defendants.

Present at the hearing were Minlend Jérôme, CEO of consulting firm audit Cameroon (CAC), Lucien Fotso, Accountant and Mahamat Karagama, Sales Manager. The alleged perpetrators were prosecuted for misappropriation of an overall estimated FCFA 11,293,000,000.

For the sequence of Wednesday, August 5, it was Barrister Ngnie Kamga, counsel for Henri Clavier, Deputy General Manager of Sodecoton, who set the ball rolling. "Referring my client is illegal and involves cheating. His name was not included in the Introductory Submission,” he stressed.

According to him, his client was initially heard as a witness by the investigating judge and not as a suspect. "If he had been targeted in the Introductory Submission and in the order before being notified, he would not have been heard as a witness.

“This is unfair,” added the barrister. According to him, the prosecution could not provide evidence of the charges against his client but added that there is an inconsistency in the figures on the amount diverted.

"On what amount do we work with because we have many numbers?” He questioned. He completed his argument by pleading not guilty.

In the same vein, Ms. Patricia Engbwang, counsel for Mahamat Karagama, rolled out her evidence attesting that her client was not guilty, at the second sequence held on Thursday 6 August. Barrister Tchougang and two other lawyers also showed the causes of illegality and abuse of which Jerome Minlend, their client, was a victim under the said trial.

Basically, for the president of the Bar, the Attorney General has not provided any evidence of the offense committed by Jerome Minlend.

Mr. Atangana, counsel for Pierre Kaptene, has in turn indicated that his client have not, at any time, been involved in the management of Sodecoton. The hearing was suspended and the case will be resumed on August 20 for further arguments of the defense.