Operation Sparrow Hawk:"Big Men" Cause Release Of Former Liquidator

By Joe Dinga Pefok

Lazare Atou of Cabinet Conseil Atou, a former liquidator of the property of three defunct state corporations, was, July 8, released from detention under controversial circumstances.

Judicial sources hinted The Post that the release was due to incessant pressure mounted by some highly influential people in the society.Atou and three of his collaborators were arrested on July 4 on allegations of embezzlement of state funds and impersonation, among other crimes.

The story goes that the then Minister of Economy and Finance, Polycarpe Abah Abah, appointed Atou in January 2006 as the liquidator of the former National Cocoa and Coffee Board, ONCPB, the National Railway Corporation, Regifercam, and the National Ports Authority, ONPC.

Atou's mandate ended on April 3, 2007, and was not renewed by Abah Abah, who had reportedly become disgusted with his poor management record.Nevertheless, Cabinet Conseil Atou had continued to operate as the liquidator of the three defunct state corporations.

Communiqué

The above situation led Abah Abah to issue a communiqué dated June 26, 2007, which read in part: "the public and all interested persons are informed that the mandates which were given to Conseil Cabinet Atou, related to the management of property belonging to the former ONCPB, Regifercam, and ONPC, expired on 3 April 2007, and were not renewed."
Apparently, Atou ignored the minister's communiqué as Conseil Cabinet Atou continued, unperturbed, to play the role of liquidator.

Atou also ignored the decision of the new Finance Minister, Essimi Menye, who appointed a different firm to manage the property of the said defunct state corporations.It is reported that the Finance Minister, the Secretary General at the Presidency, Laurent Esso, and the Secretary General at the Prime Minister's office, separately called Atou and advised him, in vain, to stop what he was doing. But he gave no heed.

It was said that he went further and set out to fight Challenger Corporation Audit Firm, which had been given the mandate to manage the property of the defunct state corporations.

The situation became more like a personal problem with the boss of the firm, Francis Tchakui, was said to have even informed the authorities that Atou was threatening his life.
The Post learnt that Atou could afford to be obstinate because he had some strong connections in high places.

It is said the "big people" had benefited a lot from Atou's activities as liquidator and would do everything to protect him.Some of the big shots are said to have grabbed huge pieces of land of the defunct state corporations, thanks to Atou.