Mokeba Sone, co-accused on the run

The next hearing at the Special Crminal Court has been slated for August 11, 2015, pending the presentation of witnesses.

Hearing in the embezzlement case pitting the State of Cameroon and the Ministry of Finance against Mokeba Sone Victor and two others is underway. The second hearing took place on Thursday July 22, 2015 at the Special Criminal Court in Yaounde.

The session that took place before a panel of judges led by Mrs. Justice Eloundou Virginie and accompanied by Mr. Justice Onana Michel and Mr Justice Nyassa Luc began with the verification of prosecution and defence counsels. The defence bench was empty as the accused are on the run.

Mokeba Sone Victor, Ngambong Abonqwa Judith and Etaga Ntoh Mercy eps Dokia are accused of embezzling FCFA 1,600,000,000 belonging to the Faculty of Medicine and Biomedical Sciences University of Yaounde 1 between 2001 and 2005 according to the Committal Order of the Examining Magistrate’s Chambers.

It all started with the signing of a protocol agreement between the government of Cameroon represented by the Ministry of Planning and Regional Development, the Faculty of Medicine and Biological Sciences and the European Union Commission, Cameroon. The sum of FCFA 1 billion was allocated as financial assistance to the Faculty of Medicine and Biomedical Sciences for the training of 250 laboratory technicians in the domain of the fight against HIV/AIDS.

The project was called FMSB/EU-AIDS and was placed under the control of the then Dean of the Faculty of Medicine and Biomedical Sciences, Late Professor Peter Ndumbe. Professor Peter Ndumbe, it is alleged, opened several accounts in different banks notably National Financial Credit Bank, Union Bank of Cameroon, to name but these and the money was withdrawn in complicity with the others. Professor Ndumbe however is dead and so judicial pursuits against him have been dropped.

Meanwhile, the other three are on the run and judicial pursuits against them are still going on. Advocate General, Didier Edjisna, pleaded with the court to grant some time for the prosecution to bring all the parties concerned to court. The presiding judge adjourned the case to August 11, 2015 pending the demand of the prosecution.