Witness puts Ambassa Zang in difficulty

Mr. Noussi of the Supreme State Audit Office testified at the Special Criminal Court on October 30, 2014.

Did former Public Works Minister, Dieudonné Ambassa Zang grant the contract for the rehabilitation of the Wouri bridge in 2006 to UDECTO, an incompetent Togolese “small and medium-sized company”? An affirmative answer was emphatically given by prosecution witness, Mr Noussi, yesterday October 30, 2014 at the Special Criminal Court.

This was in the case pitting the Legal Department and the Ministry of Public Works against Dieudonné Ambassa Zang, Mekongo Abega Felix Debeauplan, Bikie Scholastique Henriette Simone, Mengue Meka Jean Robert and Nnah Obono Pierre Germain.

Adressing the panel of judges presided by Mr. Justice Yap Abdou, Mr Noussi said his verification mission from the Supreme State Audit Office found irregularities in two special projects; namely the rehabilitation of the Wouri Bridge and the installation of a temporary bridge across the Mungo river when the bridge collapsed in July 2004.

Concerning the Wouri Bridge, Noussi said government decided to rehabilitate the 50-year-old bridge after studies for rehabilitation by the public works consultancy, SETAUTOROUTE-SETCAMEROUN estimated works at FCFA 7 billion. A call for tender in June 2002 was responded to by four companies which proposed figures above the estimates. The companies were Groupe Bouygues (FCFA 20 billion), RAZEL (FCFA 19 billion), SATOM-SOGEA (FCFA 15 billion) and UDECTO (FCFA 10 billion).

The witness wondered why instead of declaring the tenders unfruitful because they surpassed the FCFA 7 billion already given Cameroon by the French Development Agency, the former Public Works minister instead negotiated the contract with UDECTO for the sum of over FCFA 13.2 billion in April 2003. Instead of concluding the works in 28 months as the contract stipulated, UDECTO spent 6 years often outsourcing until the contract was rescinded in 2006 and FCFA 6 billion given to RAZEL to complete the works.

Noussi said that when UDECTO took the matter to the International Arbitration Court of the International Chamber of Commerce in Paris, the latter ruled for UDECTO to pay FCFA 3.2 billion as damages and reimbursements to the State of Cameroon.

“UDECTO did not have the financial and technical capacity to execute a project of such a magnitude and so its choice by the tenders’ analysis commission at the Public Works Ministry should be questioned likewise the works studies done by SETAUTOROUTE-SETCAMEROUN,” he said.

He also claimed there was suspicion of misappropriation because the commission was made up mostly of senior Public Works Ministry staff under the orders of Dieudonné Ambassa Zang. He showed doubtful marks attributed to demonstrate that there was embezzlement.

While responding to Advocate General David Wesiheba’s questions, Noussi also said irregularities were found in the setting up of a barge to serve as a temporary bridge when the Mungo River bridge collapsed July 2004. The State entered a contract with the Cameroon National Shipyard Company (CNIC) to acquire a new barge whereas that which was installed had depreciated, causing the State to disburse FCFA 128 million for its repairs.

As at press time, the examination of the witness was still being pursued. Dieudonné Ambassa Zang, principal accused, has been absent from proceedings since the beginning.