Sodecoton Case: Attorney General wants accused brought to book

The case of the attorney general and Sodecoton against Iya Mohammed, former CEO of the Cotton Development Corporation (Sodecoton), Lucien Fotso, accountant, Pierre Kaptene, Executive Assistant to Sodecoton Henri keyboard, deputy general manager of that enterprise Mahamat Karagama, sales director, Christophe Mbaiougam, another top executive of the company and Jerome Minlend, CEO of audit firm Cameroon council (CAC) continues to make its way to the Special Criminal Court (TCS).

Accused of misappropriation of FCFA 11.293 billion, nearly all were present last Wednesday with the exception of Henry Clavier, Kaptene Mbaiougam Pierre and Christophe who are on the run.

At the hearing, the public prosecutor in his submissions stated that all the accused are guilty of the charges against them despite the fact that they all pleaded not guilty from the start of the trial. All counts were scrutinized.

Thus, on wage benefits awarded to Iya Mohammed from 2005 to 2010, and valued at FCFA 51,694,000 for example, the Advocate General stated that the illegal increase was a kind of violation of the statutes of Sodecoton. According to him, it is the board that must validate the salary increase. It is the same for the financing of Coton Sport activities and construction of the sports complex valued at FCFA 4.733 billion because expenditures had no social connection with the company.

As part of the oil stocks losses and surplus valued at FCFA 6.094 billion F, prosecutors said they come from the outputs of unauthorized products and that the non arrest of controllers and absence of effective monitoring of stocks are evidence of the guilt of the former DG conniving with Pierre Kaptene, Mahamat Karagama, Lucien Fotso, Henri Clavier and Mbaiougam Christophe.

For the expenditures in the amount of FCFA 350 million, it was without the agreement of the Board in favour of CAC, Jerome Minlend cabinet.

Lawyers for the civil parties have also abounded in the same direction. For Me Owono, Sodecoton suffered and continues to suffer heavy damage. According to counsel of Sodecoton, it is important for some officials to know the scope of the legal provisions that govern their functions.

"The offense has been committed, he should be punished. The same causes produce the same effects for the other charges," he insisted as if to confirm the guilt of the accused. He added: "We will be incisive but in good faith."

The hearing was suspended and will resume on 5 and 6 August.