Govt accused of bribery in Anglophone case

More revelations on how SCNC leaders traded its case against the government of Cameroon for money at the African court continue to trickle out. After Leke Theodore, former spokesperson for late chairman, Chief Ayamba, confessed in an interview to The Cameroon Journal recently of having collected bribe from gov’t authorities through Ahmadou Ali, here comes further revelations from another SCNC leader, Thomas Nwanchan.

Nwancham, according to his confession, was privy to all the meetings that negotiated whether or not the SCNC was going to negotiate with gov’t. Back in 2004, Nwancham said the Southern Cameroons People’s Organization, SCAPO, a faction of the SCNC had filed a suit against the government of La Republique at African Union’s human rights court in Banjul; the Gambia. He said it was Leke Theodore, of the Southern zone (Southwest zone) who attempted to drag him and some Northern zone (North West region) SCNC executive into the case.

As planning for the case made progress, Leke who had also been made spokesman of Justice Frederick Ebong’s SCNC faction was unfortunately arrested and jailed for 5years by a court in Nkongsamba. His arrest had to do with SCNC related activities. He was arrested alongside an estate manager in Penja. Leke was later transferred to serve his prison term in Yaounde.

Going by Nwachan, government emissaries later contacted Leke in his Yaounde prison and promised to release him on condition that he joins the government side against the SCNC. Leke succumbed to the deal and was eventually released. He then moved over to Muyuka permanently. Leke, Nwachan said, contacted him after his release by telephone and asked that he, Nwancham, bring a delegation of three from Bamenda (Nothrwest zone) for an urgent meeting with him in Muyuka. It should be stated that Nwancham was then Executive Secretary General of the Justice Fredrick Ebong’s SCNC faction.

Nwanchan said he didn’t succeed to get a delegation for the meeting at such a short notice but asked if he could make it alone and then brief others later. Leke agreed and they met in Muyuka.

In Muyuka, Nwanchan said three people from the South West zone showed up for the meeting. They included Leke himself, Chief Oben and Dr. Luma. “The one item on the agenda was that the government, through the then Minister of Justice (Ahmadou Ali), was inviting SCNC for a dialogue. By the terms of the dialogue, SCNC leaders were to be paid-off with the sum of 600 MFCFA to withdraw the matter pending at the African court.” Nwancham said.

The release of Leke, he said, was the first demonstration of good faith by the government to pave way for such dialogue.

Nwanchan stated that Leke told him that government required that they come back to Yaounde with him included for the 600 MCFA to be disbursed. “The argument on the floor by Leke and Chief Oben was that many former leaders of SCNC have enriched themselves and so it was time for us to go and enrich ourselves too,” he stated.

Nwanchan said he did not only reject the proposal by Leke and co. but distanced himself from any SCNC dialogue with government on grounds that the Southern Cameroons question is not negotiable under any political formula. The meeting rose and he left for Bamenda that same Saturday night.

However, he pointed out with regret that the same trio from the South West arrived Bamenda the following day following the Muyuka meeting and demanded a full executive meeting of the SCNC on the matter or they go to Yaounde for the dialogue with government without North West SCNC executive.

He said the then zonal coordinator for North West SCNC, one Teke, (the only name we got), alongside Valentine Nkeh and Albert Mukong, of blessed memory, and himself were those who sat in the meeting for the North West.

The debate, according to Nwancham was so heated that they went in for a vote over the matter and it ended in favour of dialogue with government.

“Still opposed to the vote in favour of SCNC dialogue with government, I went ahead to personally enquire from government by email if she had invited SCNC for any dialogue. They did not meet up with the deadline I gave to deliver their response and I profited from their silence to cancel the dialogue option.”

However, Nwachan told The Cameroon Journal that the Southern Zone delegation led by Leke persisted and went to Yaounde, claiming that they were not under control of the Northern Zone. He disclosed that it was the trip to Yaounde that enabled Leke Theodore and Chief Oben to be recruited into the government bench for four trips to the Gambia to withdraw the case against government in Banjul-Gambia.

“We cannot confirm, but credible sources told us that Leke and Chief Oben were paid 30MFCFA each while 540 MFCFA of the promised 600 MFCFA was withheld on grounds that they bring me who was next in rank to Frederick Ebong.” Nwancham said.

“What I have narrated is the true story of what happened because people make it look like there was an acceptable dialogue which I destroyed. Even up to this moment, I still reject any form of dialogue with the government of La Republique even if organized by the United Nations.”

All attempts to reach Leke on telephone by press time failed. But Leke had earlier admitted that government paid for his delegation’s assignment and contact tours which was part of the “negotiations” but would not disclose the exact amount.

Contrary to Nwancham’s story, Leke in his revelations to The Journal had suggested that it was an senior SDF member who first introduced him to gov’t to broker the dialogue. There is apparently much still to be heard about this story.

The question Nwancham didn’t answer is if he was as honest for the cause as he wants others to believe why didn’t he blow the alarm when he knew Leke and his team had been bought over. Something is still missing here. We will bring you the full story.