Former minister grilled for five hours by SCC

President Biya appears truly engaged and determined to see through his war against corruption, that is, if recent developments are anything to go by.

On Thursday Nov. 20, another of his appointees, former Minister of Public Works, Bernard Messengue Avom was grilled by the special police corps of the Special Criminal Court, SCC for over five hours.

The Journal did not immediately confirm the exact facts surrounding his interrogation, but reliable sources said the former public works minister’s grilling may be connected to a racket worth 15.4 BFCFA. The racket was first uncovered by the National Anti-Corruption Commission, NACC in its 2010 corruption report, published in November 2011.

Going by the NACC report which also roped in the Prime Minister’s office, the Minister of Public Works in connivance with the prime minister’s office had attempted to induce government into making triple payments for the Ayos – Bonis road construction project that had already been completed and paid for.

The road projects involved in the attempted fraud were partially financed by the Kuwait Economic Development Fund, the Arab Bank for Economic Development in Africa and the public investment budget of Cameroon.

The report stated that the ministry of public works then headed by Bernard Messengue Avom with the approval of the services of the Prime Minister, were caught hands-in-the-bag in a suspicious operation.

Later on November 25, 2011, then Vice Prime Minister, Minister of Justice, Amadou Ali, announced in the National Assembly that President Biya had ordered investigations in the alleged racket in the construction of the Ayos-Bonis road in East Cameroon. The stretch of road linked Douala, N’djamena in Chad and Douala- Bangui in the Central African Corridors.

In reaction to the report, Messengue Avom in a press release then, said the Anti-corruption Commission did not inform his ministry of its report nor invite officials of the ministry to explain the facts observed by the mission.

“This is in violation of the principle of full hearing in force in such circumstances. Yet, this principle of full hearing is in common practice and its non-observance leads to the nullity of any proceedings.” Avom stated in the report. He said an international consulting firm has been commissioned through international tender, to carry out a technical and financial auditing on the alleged rip-off.

Meanwhile, Avom arrived at the police station at exactly 11 a.m. and only got out at 4:30 p.m. He turned down questions from reporters who waylaid him at the entrance of the police post. His response was a quizzical look and a daring sigh. He hopped in his Peugeot car and drove away.