Paul Eric Kingue: Verdict postponed again to July 16

There was big disappointment on the faces of all the people who came in their numbers to support and celebrate the release of Paul Eric Kingue, former Mayor of Njombe-Penja, at the premises of the supreme court on Thursday, June 18, 2015 in Yaoundé.

He was jailed for about seven years in prison for charges of misappropriation of public funds and partly of being complicite and inciting revolt.

At the first hearing on May 21, 2015, at the Supreme Court, the prosecution had called for the unconditional extension of the sentence of the accused. In response, the judges had promised to give the verdict ultimately on Thursday, June 18, 2015.

This morning, the accused Kingué Eric Paul was called to the court at 10:30 at his surprise, not to hear "the final judgment in this case" as he hoped but for the judge to decide on a new reference date of 16 July 2015. The hearing lasted for less than a quarter of an hour.

This decision according to sources was because the president of the Collegiality noted the absence in the records of Paul Eric Kingué the original documents of the judicial investigation, it also required the production of the original referral from the High Court of Wouri and production of all such documents before the new hearing set for 16 July.

The accused person's family and fans left the court filled with disappointment. "What happened here is a scandal. We believe that the court has multiple orders not to release our mayor," said a protesting fan of the accused who came from the town of Njombe-Penja, Mungo department, Littoral region. "We will keep fingers crossed so that the next meeting will give him his freedom," according to sources.

Accused of being one of the instigators of the riots in 2008, the Court of Appeal of the Littoral Region sentenced, in early 2010, Paul Eric Kingué to three years imprisonment, whereas the High Court of Nkongsamba had jailed him six years in prison.

And also in another case against the famous prisoner in the Commune of Penja, the Littoral Appeal Court had pronounced a verdict of ten years imprisonment which condemned him to life.

It is this sentence of ten years that restrained Paul Eric Kingue in the prison of New-bell. Thus, within three years, he will gain his total freedom.

Convinced of his innocence and to save his honor, Paul Eric Kingué fought against the two verdicts of the Court of Appeal of Littoral waiting for the Supreme Court to decide ultimately.