Defence Minister, Edgard Alain Mebe Ngo’o on September 26, 2014, paid last respects to the fallen colonel.

Colleagues and family members of late Colonel Maurice Mbaïtoundam, fondly called ‘Bouguette,’ received sympathy and comfort from the Minister Delegate at the Presidency in charge of Defence, Edgard Alain Mebe Ngo’o, the Secretary of State in the Ministry of Defence in charge of the National Gendarmerie, Jean Baptiste Bokam and the Secretary of State in the Ministry of Defence in charge of Ex-servicemen and War Victims, Koumpa Issa, amongst other top ranking officials of the military.

The body of Col. Mbaïtoundam received military honours at a colourful ceremony at the Military Headquarters in Yaounde on September 26, 2014. The eulogy of the Commander of the 4^th Combined Military Region, Colonel Jacob Kodji, spoke of a good collaborator whom posterity will always remember. Born in 1959 in Mora, Mayo-Sava Division of the Far North Region, Col. Mbaïtoundam passed on on 10 September 2014 after a protracted illness.

His military career started in 1983 with admission to the Combined Military Academy, EMIA, Yaounde. Upon graduation in 1986 as part of the Rudolf Douala Manga Bell Batch, he was promoted Lieutenant in July 1988, captain in July 1993 and Major on July 1, 2000. On January 1, 2005, he rose to the rank of Lieutenant Colonel and Colonel on January 1, 2010.

During his career, Col. Mbaïtoundam served in the military station in Motcheboum in the East Region, EMIA, Ekondi Titi in the South West Region, and the Yaounde Military Headquarters, amongst others. Since 2013, late Col. Mbaïtoundam commanded the Army Sector, now the 4^th Combined Military Region. The graduate of the Command and Staff College, Manjing, China, also received several military medals.