Ruling in the first of two matters involving the former General Manager of the defunct national carrier at the Special Criminal Court was fixed for April 29, 2016.
The Yaounde-based Special Criminal Court, SCC, on Wednesday, April 20, 2016, continued hearing Phase I of the two matters involving Yves Michel Fotso, the former General Manager of the defunct national carrier, Camair. As the trial, which began in November 2014, gradually draws to a close, Wednesday’s sitting was devoted to hearing the final submissions of the prosecution and counsel for Camair Liquidation Committee and the State.
However, all this took place in the absence of the accused and his counsel, who had earlier pulled out of the trial, alleging unfair court processes. Hearing the matter was the leader of the trial team, Mr. Justice Moukoury Francis, assisted by Mr. Justice Michel Onana and Mr. Justice Nyassa; with Mr. Justice Tagim as one of the Advocates General. In an hour and half submission, Mr. Justice Tagim revisited the trial, beginning from preliminary investigations, demonstrating that Yves Michel Fotso set out to embezzle Camair funds. He supported his arguments by recalling exhibits that were tendered by the prosecution, pointing out that by running Camair accounts in Commercial Bank of Cameroon, CBC, in which he has interests, Fotso deliberately entertained the conflict of interest to the detriment of the State and the defunct national carrier.
Taking the floor next, Counsel for Camair Liquidation, Barrister Ngongo Ottou Martin, and the liquidator, Bekolo Christian, supported the Advocate General’s position that Fotso deliberately engaged in activities to defraud the State. Barrister Mujem Fombad, Counsel for the State, concurred with the positions of previous speakers, pointing out that the State was never a party to the failed reimbursement deal reached earlier between the Camair Liquidation Committee and Yves Michel Fotso. The matter was later adjourned to April 29, 2016, for ruling.
Michel Fotso is accused of fraudulently obtaining 18.9 Billion FCFA between 2000 and 2002. The suit, filed by Camair's Liquidation Committee and the State of Cameroon, concerns 4,051,209,866 FCFA, 4,606,130,515 FCFA, and 8,934,203,742 FCFA, all compensation for the famous Boeing 747 'Combi' aircraft crash in Paris, France; as well as 1,400,000,000 FCFA, the worth of the wreck of the aircraft.
