By Peterkins Manyong
On Thursday, December 13, Cameroon concluded another round of legal theatrics by sentencing four other embezzlers to long prison terms.
Alphonse Siyam Siewe, Edouard Etode Ekoto and two others will share 80 years in jail. They were accused of embezzling FCFA 40 billion at the Douala Ports Authority, PAD, according to the Wouri High Court that sentenced them.
Interestingly, the verdict was passed shortly after Cameroon had lifted another unenviable trophy in Corruption. According to a Transparently International, TI, rating, Cameroon and Ghana are Africa's most corrupt nations.
The Biya Regime obviously thought it necessary to give the world the impression that TI was not fair in assessing its anti-corruption crusade. The Wouri High Court verdict was welcomed by a majority of Cameroonians, just as it did when Ondo ndong and Co. were jailed for a similar offence.
But the euphoria after the Syam/Ekotto verdict is bound to be short lived. This is because the "buffaloes of poverty" continue to knock Cameroonians down.The Biya regime has given no real cause for celebration because they have not been assured of any benefit that could accrue from the verdict, apart from the pleasure of seeing devils crucified.
No
announcement has been made to the effect that any money has been
retrieved from the high profile pen thieves (remember Mathew Kakwi's
poem on embezzlement titled "A Pen")
During the trial of the PAD embezzlers, lawyers of that parastatal
argued that the money stolen could be used to construct roads,
hospitals and schools.
There is no indication that if the money is recovered at last from these embezzlers, it would be used to provide social amenities. This lack of transparency on the matter allows Cameroonians to assume that the Biya regime, which teleguided the Siyam/Ekotto as well as the Ondo Ndong case, are no different from the Ma Grisson.
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