Operation Sparrow Hawk trails Foning, Asapngu, Others

The Mayor of Douala V, Francoise Foning and former Mayor of Kumba II Council, Ferdinand Asapngu and 10 other Mayors across the national territory are being trailed by Operation Sparrow Hawk for alleged embezzlement of public funds.

The files of the aforementioned personalities are currently being handled by the Special Criminal Court in Yaounde.

The charges for embezzlement levelled against the 12 personalities, and some of their close collaborators are contained in the audit reports and the reports of a Commission of Enquiry set up by the Court.

The audit reports cover the period from 2007-2013, when the 12 indicted personalities were still in office.

Three of the 12 accused are from Douala. Besides Foning, the current Mayor of Douala I Council, Jean Jacques Lengue Malapa, and the former Mayor of Douala IV Council, John Ndangle Kumase, are also being accused of financial impropriety.

The Post learnt that some former Mayors have already appeared before the Special Criminal Court in Yaounde.

The first among the 12 to face the Court in October2014 was John Ndangle Kumase and three of his Deputies.

Kalara, an authoritative French language weekly specialised in judicial matters, recently reported that Francoise Foning quietly appeared at the Criminal Court, following a summons to her. Though the paper did not give details on the charge against Foning, The Post garnered that she is accused of embezzlement of FCFA 600 million between 2008 –2010.

Special Strategy Meanwhile, The Post also learnt that it is because of the personal relationship between Foning and the Presidential couple that the Special Criminal Court has not ordered for the arrest of any of the accused Mayors.

The Court has quietly been summoning the above personalities and interrogating them away from public view.

Biya Advises Foning To Repay Money The Post equally learnt from credible sources that President Biya has advised Foning to repay the FCFA 600 million, which she is accused of having embezzled, in a bid to avoid the embarrassment of being arrested and put on pre-trial detention.

This, our source said, is the only favour President Biya can give to Foning, due to her committed efforts in the affairs of the CPDM party. Our source said due to Biya’s position too, it has become difficult for his wife, to come to Foning’s aid.

Panic After Mendo Ze’s Arrest Fear reportedly gripped the Foning family, when President Biya recently allowed the arrest and detention of Mendo Ze for alleged embezzlement. Foning and her family members are said to be panic-stricken and fear that Biya may order for the arrest of Foning.

Former SDF Mayor Did Not Escape Contrary to some media reports that John Ndangle Kumase has escaped out of the country for fear of being arrested and imprisoned, the former SDF Mayor has not escaped. In one of its front page stories on November 17, 2014, the French language daily, La Nouvelle Expression reported that Kumase had not been seen since he attended the November 8 NEC meeting in Bamenda. The paper suggested that Kumase had probably escaped, following the pending case against him at the Special Criminal Court.

However, Kumase is said to have travelled to Nigeria after the NEC meeting. The former Mayor of Douala IV is now back in the country. But since his return, Kumase has reportedly been spending much of his time on phone, calling his SDF comrades and assuring them that he has not escaped.