By Kini Nsom
The former Minister of Economy and Finance, Polycarpe Abah Abah, who is now languishing in pre-trial detention at the Kondengui Maximum Security Prison in Yaounde, has reportedly warned President Paul Biya to release him or face his wrath.
Abah Abah, who will stand trial for allegedly embezzling FCFA 20
billion of state funds, reportedly said he will set the country afire
if the authorities proceed to prosecute him.
Security officials are said to have uncovered Abah Abah's message to
President Biya when they seized his laptop, his telephone and other
communication gadgets from him at the prison.
All electronic equipment was also seized from the former Minister of
Public Health, Urbain Olanguena Awono. Following the transfer of the
two suspects from the Judicial Police headquarters at Elig-Essono to
Kondengui Prison, the Attorney General at the Centre Provincial Court
of Appeal ordered that security measures be tightened in that prison.
It was during the execution of this order that security operatives seized communication gadgets from the two detainees.
The Post learned that the authorities are taking Abah Abah's threat seriously, given the fact that there are some soldiers who are said to be sympathizing with him. When information was making rounds that Abah Abah would be arrested, press reports quoted him as saying, in his village meeting, that he has enough money to sponsor terrorism in Cameroon for 10 years if he was arrested.
There are also allegations that the "G11" group whose hopes to take over power in 2011 were dashed following the amendment of the 1996 Constitution that Biya promulgated into law recently, could be mobilising to unseat the CPDM regime through a military coup. Many people believe that Abah Abah's threats could be as empty as the one the former Public Health Minister and erstwhile Biya's personal doctor, Prof. Titus Edzoa, made when he was arrested in 1997 on charges of embezzlement.
Even though he was accused of embezzling billions of public funds,
Edzoa held that his real crime was that he declared his intention to
run for the 1997 presidential elections.
Edzoa's threats came to nothing, even when he was taken down the stinking confines of the Kondengui prison.
Some observers hold that the arrest of Olanguena and Abah Abah was not
predicated on the embezzlement of public funds, but on the fact that
they belong to the "G11" group.
Government sources cite Olanguena and Abah Abah as two of the four
ministers who approached French authorities last year and asked for
help to take over from Biya in 2011.
But Prime Minister, Ephraim Inoni, dismissed this view as the figment of the imagination of idlers. In an interview with the BBC last week, he said he did not even know what "G11" is all about. He said some of those people whom Biya called "apprentice sorcerers" could really be found in his own camp.
Inoni said the arrest is void of any political victimisation, arguing
that before the arrest of two former ministers recently, many other
government officials had been arrested on charges of corruption. He
cited Mounchipou Seidou and Pierre-Desire Engo among others.
Meanwhile, the Legal Department in Yaounde is said to be gathering more
evidence against Abah Abah and Olanguena so that their trial could
begin at the Mfoundi High Court.
So far, evidence gathered against Abah Abah concerns huge sums of money
from Value Added Tax, VAT, which he allegedly mismanaged when he was
the Director of Taxation.
Judicial officials are said to be still far from unravelling his file
on the financial rackets he ran as Minister of the Economy and Finance.
Posted by: ftroit | Friday, 25 April 2008 at 10:55 AM
Honorable Ayah Ayah, so you were waiting only for detention before you could expose the ills of the Biya regime eh? Numbskull. You shall languish in jail
Posted by: UnitedstatesofAfrica | Friday, 25 April 2008 at 12:08 PM
Abah Abah was in the same team like Biya and the rest. But he surely became a bad player for many possible reasons. Now that his friends are "verarsching" him, he is promising them tit for tat - starting with the grand bandit. If Abah Abah does not know what happened to Prof. Tutus Ezoa, let Ezoa educate him well. After all, they are all in the best place Biya has chosen for such unfaithful players - Kondengui.
The good news for common people like us will only come if Abah Abah has good reasons for saying that he will set our beloved country afire. If some military men are behind him, good and fine. But let them be the strong military men - Generals and not "sans galons". This may well be exerting another force on Biya, in the same direction as the force exerted by the majority of Cameroonians. In other words, let the thieves fight each other in a serious battle and give way for Cameroonians to try another leadership.
But where is the 20 billion? 20,000 millions. Ma mammy !!. For one man alone. Massa !!. Who estimated this figure ? Will they come back to confirm this amount later ?. How long did he need to steal (gather) all this money? We can help Abah Abah and estimate it to see if the oponents of Abah Abah are making a reasonable case. How much is value-added tax in Cameroon per year? How many businesses separate this VAT from the basic cost of commodities and channel the money to the department/ministry of taxation ? - virtually none. But let's assume that all do, is the VAT up to 1 billion per year? If Abah Abah stole mostly VAT money, he must have been minister or better still director of taxation for 20 years - which is not the case. So let Biya and his friends look for geniune reasons and provide us with all other sources through which Abah Abah would have stolen money.
Last time it was Eduad Akame Mfoumou who, after having done all sorts of odd things in the Ministry of Defence - including embezzlement and as "I hear say" arms importation, was finally made minister of finance like Abah Abah. Mfoumou also stole so much money until he himself did not know how much he stole. Biya could not do him any thing. He just pushed him aside as another bad player. That Finance Ministry... that Finance Ministry. The Post should follow up this story. I am coming with the next comment. When thieves can't agree on how to share the stolen money, they are easily caught.
Dr. Cheboy
Posted by: Cheboy | Friday, 25 April 2008 at 01:08 PM
abah abah you hopeless piece of human garbage, I know a lot of people who have suffered because of you and the fraud you inflicted upon them. If you were given directions from above, spill the beans now. You and the rest including your offspring and concubines will be waterboarded soon till you explode. West Cameroonians, nowhere in hell should we let another francophone regime military or not ever rule us again. MOBILIZE!!!!!Look at francophone Africa, they are the scum of the earth, can not manage their out of a paper bag, and we want to associate with them. Hell no!!!!!!!
Posted by: Tombele | Friday, 25 April 2008 at 01:14 PM
Can this spectacle result in something promising?. Let's Wait and See.
Keep your comments coming.
Posted by: simplice | Friday, 25 April 2008 at 02:04 PM
Posted by: ftroit | Friday, 25 April 2008 at 03:20 PM
Pleeaaasssseee Abah Abah, tell us all about it! You stole a lot of money, a mighty whole lot of money, and now you're about to pay for it as you deserve. So open up you guts and spill it all out about how much you sent to Etoudi and probably many others. I can picture all those pot-bellied embezzlers piing themselves right now, from the hand-clapping ones in the 'Yes Sir' Parliament to the motion-of-support yapping ones, and the ones inbetween.
Posted by: Tanyi | Friday, 25 April 2008 at 04:14 PM
Simplice, the simpleton, may I kindly ask who made you the moderator on this forum? why must you always tell people to "keep the comments coming"? If you don't have anything to say, do exactly that, don't say anything.All you do is restate what has already been said and then tell people to keep the comments coming. Why must your itchy fingers type something? This is not journalism 101, it's a forum with no self-appointed moderators.
Posted by: UnitedstatesofAfrica | Friday, 25 April 2008 at 04:47 PM
Right on, Sir Abah Abah, disgraced noble. Your francocamerounese lord and master, King Biya will cause you to have an accidental fatal heart attack in jail. I hope you took the trouble to keep solid evidence overseas in a safe place to be released in the event of your likely premature demise.
Posted by: Ma Mary | Friday, 25 April 2008 at 04:55 PM
Tombele words of wisdom you got there, Do hope even the dull and ignorants understand it.
Posted by: mk the southerner | Friday, 25 April 2008 at 05:43 PM
WHO ARE YOU SIMPLICE. CAN YOU MAKE YOUR SELF KNOWN. IT IRRITATES WHEN WE READ SOME OF YOUR STATEMENTS. WHAT DO YOU MEAN KEEP YOUR COMMENTS COMING. WHO MADE YOU THE EDITOR OF THIS FORUM. BEWARNED
Posted by: stone | Friday, 25 April 2008 at 07:24 PM
Abah Abah is making an error by threatening Life President Paul Biya. You never air threats! You take action, preferably by surprise. Now the Life President or self-proclaimed master sorcerer will finish off Abah Abah in prison.
Posted by: Kumbaboy | Friday, 25 April 2008 at 08:07 PM
Mr USAfrica and Tombele: "get lost" if u find my comments unwelcoming.
Posted by: simplice | Friday, 25 April 2008 at 08:36 PM
By getting rid of the comments related to the death of Nsahlai, 'The Post' is engaging in a very Cameroonian self-delusion. The sort of self-delusion exhibited by Paul Biya, who believes Cameroonians are so desperate for his rule to continue that he needs to make himself President-for-life. 'The Post' usually takes great delight in criticising the Biya regime, but it has more in common with Biya's view of the world than it imagines. A view of the world based on getting rid of views you do not particularly like by censoring them, if necessary violently. If 'The Post' does not want unpleasant things said about Nsahlai, then don't publish the man's death with the option of your readership commenting on the event. 'The Post' probably expected its readers to post only hypocritical nice comments about the man. Well surprise, surprise, a lot of the 'The Post'readers, did not have nice things to say about the man; and what does 'The Post', that bastion of objective English Cameroon journalism, do? It deletes all the comments!
'The Post' has certainly learnt well from the tricks of the Biya regime, while pretending to its readers to be on some sort of moral higher ground than the said regime. Well, editors of 'The Post', your deletion of the comments does not sanitise Nsahlai's reputation. He was an unprincipled man who was in bed with a murderous dictatorship, kept in power by drinking the blood of his citizens and making their lives hell. I am sure the bugs 6 feet under have the good taste not to feed on his carcass. If indeed there was a hell he deserves to burn in it. Now go ahead and delete these comments. Bloody hypocrites! Your publication is a disgrace to journalism.
Posted by: coolio | Saturday, 26 April 2008 at 10:14 AM
All this is a big shame to Cameroon and Cameroonians, This are very seriouse things that we are the present Goverment is taking them lying down. Who ever does what, God is alive and seeing, yoiu shall be paid back in your own coin..
Long Live to Cameroonians of goodwill
Posted by: LION | Saturday, 26 April 2008 at 10:27 AM
To The POST. Either you Guys stop this blog postings of your paper articles if you dont want comments and keep to the unwritten laws of bloging- Articles commented in achives of topics of common interest do not even appear in the recent comments page. I believe there are better forum strutures cameroonians can discuss on if you dont want discussions on your articles-or better still tell when we sign in that our comments will be censored.
Posted by: magazine | Saturday, 26 April 2008 at 03:46 PM
But what is it that Abah Abah has to say that we do not already know? Biya owns the Treasury. That is the problem in Cameroon, Mr. Abah. If we were to take away this piggy-bank from him, I am sure he will not want to contest another election come 2011. As for foreign aid that comes in and goes out the next day, INGOs are making sure this is a thing of the past.
There will be a change in Cameroon, whether the Abahs spill the beans or not
Posted by: Danny Boy | Saturday, 26 April 2008 at 04:45 PM
I suppose the post have employed a censor in the name of this CPDM spy called Simplice. The simpleton rambles on facts to suit the tone of CPDM spies, always pretend not to have an opinion but always have an opinion when contradicting facts presented against the regime. Cameroonians have to understand how this CPDM thugs work. Their spy here, simpleton Simplice would be silenced by armies of freedom.
Posted by: rexon | Saturday, 26 April 2008 at 05:15 PM
From "Simplice aka USAfrica" to "Simpleton Simplice", passing through "Simplice aka Vito". Mr Rexon, history is on side, it has proven your hypothesis wrong hitherto.
Does asking questions amount to spying?. You're great minds on the forum whom, I much respect and will go on asking my questions to learn.
Posted by: simplice | Saturday, 26 April 2008 at 05:25 PM
Fear of another uprising: Biya orders Russian helicopters to shoot demonstrators, rioters!
The government is deeply apprehensive of the state of national security. The unpopularity of the recent amendment of the constitution and the ever-rising prices of food and essential commodities have combined to create a sense of nervousness among the masses which could easily find expression in a popular uprising. Rather than address the issues, Paul Biya has opted for the use of brutality
By Ntaryike Divine Jr. in Douala
President Paul Biya seems determined to have his way at all cost; and to use as much brutality as is necessary which is already the hallmark of his 25-year regime. To cope with the simmering tension in Cameroon following popular disapproval of the recent amendment of the constitution permitting him to stay in office beyond 2011, the government has placed armed troops across towns in Cameroon.
This is to forestall a poplar uprising similar if not worse than that of February.
Apart from popular anger over the amendment of the constitution, the hardship of the masses caused by ever-increasing food prices provides yet another reason for a real possibility of problems for the authorities.
Intelligence sources have told The Herald that the government is not taking the situation lying low.
In addition to the already announced intention of the government to recruit at least a thousand more hands
into the army, The Herald has learned that Russian war helicopters are on order to strengthen the government’s already heavy hand in dealing with any possible uprising.
The helicopters which are said to be nine in number and ordered through a private Swiss supplier will be used to shoot gatherings of rioters, our sources say.
The government’s fear of a possible uprising is so real that a fortnight ago President Paul Biya called off a journey abroad at the last minute.
A government decision last month to reduce the price of foodstuffs and essential commodities which received wide public approval has proved a failure. Not only is the public disenchanted, retailers are gradually being turned against the government because of the hard measures of authorities of the Ministry of Trade which
include locking up shops, seizing wares of recalcitrant traders and forcing down unacceptable
reductions on retailers.
These developments only add to the existing state of mass youth unemployment, which prepare the ground for a possible people’s uprising.
The civil society has also warned the government to try to act quickly and adequately to provide solutions to the crisis in which people live.
Closing a recent meeting of the Catholic Episcopal Conference, Archbishop Samuel Kleda who chaired the meeting warned the government that unless it acted in time it should be ready for another uprising which will embrace the whole of Cameroon and render last February’s riots a child’s play.
The government appears rather to be preparing for the use of brutal and excessive force instead of turning
the same resources towards lasting solutions.
Posted by: rexon | Saturday, 26 April 2008 at 07:46 PM
Discrimination against Anglophones in customs
appointments!
The paradox of it all is that all appointments of
senior customs officials receive the written visa of
the prime minister. But he does not care whether South
Westerners like himself feature in it or not. Worse
still it is the prime minister who is supposed to
implement the policies of regional balance and equal
opportunities for all Cameroonians
By Harrison Achu, Ministry of Finance
Recent appointments in the General Directorate of
Customs indicate the complete absence of Anglophones
in key positions. Apart from the chief of sector
Littoral 2 who has been retained, there are clear
signs that the iron lady of the customs department,
just like her predecessors, has no confidence in
Anglophones.
In the customs head office in Yaounde, there is no
Anglophone who has the rank of an assistant director
or sub-director in the general administration. All the
chiefs of divisions and assistants are of Beti origin
and a few from the West province. The Anglophone
community is alarmed and the impression they are in a
foreign land in which they are more or less refugees
and slaves.
In the Littoral province, there are two chiefs of
sectors 1 and 2. In the history of this department no
Anglophone has ever occupied the powerful and
omnipresent post of Littoral 1 customs chief of
sector. Under these two sectors there are eleven (11)
main customs offices (bureaux principaux). The lone
post the director thinks good for Anglophones is the
airport secondary office.
Scrutinising the appointment of inspectors into these
bureaux principaux, one notices that there have been
one or two at most or no Anglophone at all.
Ports 1 (the most powerful) has only two Anglophone
inspectors out of a pool of 12. Ports 5 in charge of
cars has no Anglophone to cater for their problems.
Only these two cases can give you a bird’s eye view
of the general situation in the Douala principal
offices.
The Anglophone business community and clearing agents
are holding meetings to see how they can meet the
recently appointed director and ask her the reason for
this state of affairs. One police officer of Bafia
origin describes this discrimination as those things
that easily push even the calmest Anglophone into the
waiting hands of the SCNC.
The paradox of it all is that all appointments of
senior customs officials receive the visa of the
prime minister. But he does not care whether South
Westerners like himself feature in it or not. Worse
still it is the prime minister who is supposed to
implement the policies of regional balance and equal
opportunities for all Cameroonians.
This writer suggests that all Anglophone customs
officers should resign or go on secondment to other
Finance departments and leave the customs department
to Francophones. All around the country the situation
is the same. With junior customs officers the
situation is even worse.
If the present director who is the wife of a priest
cannot make things change then who are Anglophone
customs officers waiting for? This continuous
discrimination may be a matter of planned policy as
the prime minister endorses the appointments blindly
or his hands are tied to humiliate him.
Posted by: rexon | Saturday, 26 April 2008 at 07:51 PM
Rexon,
Russian helicopters! There are more digital cameras on the continent than helicopters. All the population needs to do is film one of these machines firing at people.
Also, the copters might be for the army and would soon be grounded for lack of spare parts.
Posted by: Kumbaboy | Saturday, 26 April 2008 at 09:28 PM
Mr Rexon, kudos for above facts. Indeed we require the SCNC to fournish the forum with the necessary delicacy;upto date facts and figures as you just presented. I think, if elements of your phylum resort to this tatic, you'll win more converts herein.
Mr Reg Flag, get the lesson and stop reproducing history each you have the floor.
Keep your comments coming.
Posted by: simplice | Saturday, 26 April 2008 at 11:42 PM
Its pay back time and Abah Abah is simply receiving part of his own nemesis. if he can enhance the doom of other members of his phylum by exposing them fine, if at all he can.
Posted by: chopfire | Sunday, 27 April 2008 at 04:03 AM
adies and gentlemen of the core. The kernel is this forum remains; that of a people who are striving for the betterment of Cameroon. While admitting that, ideological antagonism is politically corrected, we should also be intellectually correct to admit: “asking of questions and inability to comment because of ignorance” isn’t synonymous to spying. This issue was first raised by USAfrica on my person, now M Rexon is parroting it as if it’s become a fact. Last year, we laid bare “Reverends” hypocritical stance. Hitherto, he’s been the only impostor; to the best of my knowledge.
It will be a misplacement of priorities if , in an attempt to consol ourselves of our failing strategies, we express our frustrations by pointing unwarranted fingers of accusation, at humble minds, whose sole ambition is the betterment of Cameroon. Please we can raise the profile of the forum if:
1) we stop these insults, counter-insults, rhetorical intrigues and reactionary demagogues ;
2) we stop making this forum a history club by posting in a million pieces of literature antiquated past events :
3) we start presenting singular achievements in the reflection : “we’re becoming the change we want”;
4) we stop inciting violence from without the country , without a firm resolution to go back home and lead the war.
This bad laundry of “violence and war”, has been erred time without number by persons who cannot even muster the courage to disclose their names to the forum. They hide behind pseudonyms and whisper highly fluted phrases of violence, blood, revolution…etc.
What most astonishes me is the word “revolution” that is often mentioned out of context.
I challenge “would be” revolutionaries to come forward and disclose their identities to the masses they’re asking to resort to “violent and arm bush” policies as means of ousting Biya. I think we shall be fooling ourselves if we indulge in this hypocrisy of constantly blaming the SDF for the “Peril in the Nation”, when we ourselves do nothing practically speaking to avert the tide. The SDF may not be politically perfect; however, it’s on the terrain and “working the work” while cowards in the Diaspora keep “talking the talk”. Please spare the SDF, spare its leaders, they’re better than most of you(you know yourself; let your conscience speak).
Keep your comments coming
Posted by: simplice | Sunday, 27 April 2008 at 04:47 AM
That was well said simplice, this is not history 101 whereby everyone tries to expose his/her capacity of writing. Actions speak better than words. Cameroonians are tired of words from u bushfallers, u guys should come back home and bring about the change. Those of u in UK and IRELAND should join the switzerland crew to roam the streets for change to befall ur country cameroon.
Posted by: besong | Sunday, 27 April 2008 at 01:58 PM
Abah Abah! You are bleating like a sheep blah blah blah and the sound even coincides with your name. The dummy you are warns pa biya of an inpending attack on his junta. what do you expect? he'll raise his guard and believe me, your days are numbered. Farewell to hell where you rightly belong!!
Can somebody guess who the most annoying commentator on this forum is? Sim..... our self-appointed moderator with his usual boring antiquated rhectorics. Spare us the trash. I am glad so many others cannot accomodate you again. I guess I pointed it out last year! Change or you will be flushed out of this forum!
Posted by: Jesco | Monday, 28 April 2008 at 04:28 AM
FELLOW CAMEROONIANS OF GOOD N BAD FAITH AND WELL-WISHERS, JUST A BIT OF A CONTRIBUTION…PLEASE LETZ STOP ANTAGONISING IN THIS FORUM (www.postnewsline.com) AND SEIZE THIS OPPORTUNITY TO LEARN FROM ONE ANOTHER. LETZ MAKE CONSTRUCTIVE CRITICISMS AND MOVE FORWARD, EVERYONE HAS A ROLE IN THE BUILDING OF OUR COUNTRY NO MATTER HOW TRIVIA. CONSEQUENTLY, FOR THOSE OF YOU WHO HAVE WRONGFULLY AND CONSTANTLY UNDERESTIMATED THE IMPACT OF WRITINGS IN THIS FORUM OR ANY OTHER FORUM DEDICATED TO SENTISING CAMEROONIANS ITZ HIGH TIME YOU START TO REVIEW YOUR COMMENTS.
MUCH ACCREDITATION AND ANTICIPATION CAN BE GIVEN TO ACTIONS IN AND OUT CAMEROON, BUT THERE IS AN UNREFUTABLE FACT THAT IT ALL STARTED SOMEWHERE…FOR ACTION WITHOUT THOUGHT IS A USELESS ENDEAVOUR AND THOUGHT WITHOUT ACTION IS LIKE A FRUITLESS MARRIAGE. THERE IS OBVIOUSLY AN INSEPARABLE RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN WHAT IS HAPPENING HERE AND WHAT IS ALREADY DONE AND WHAT IS STILL TO BE DONE IN THE TERRAIN AS FAR AS ACTION IS CONCERN. IF YOU HAVE NO COMMENTS TO MAKE IN WRITING BETTER ENCOURAGE THOSE WHO ARE INSPIRED TO DO, SO THAT YOU CAN KEEP READING AND KNOWLEDGING YOURSELF FOR THE FUTURE…THAT OF OUR COUNTRY AND THE WORLD AT LARGE.
THANKS, GOD BLESS AND SAVE OUR NATION.
Posted by: HAF | Monday, 28 April 2008 at 05:32 AM
Mr Jesco: think again. Try again.
Posted by: simplice | Monday, 28 April 2008 at 08:31 AM
Mr. Jesco,
Hahahahhahahahahhahahaha. Your write-up, is without a doubt, the most funniest write-up I have read in very long time. Oh boy! my stomach is still hurting from laughing. Oh lord! have mercy. Hahahahahahahhahahahahaha.
Posted by: UnitedstatesofAfrica | Monday, 28 April 2008 at 10:04 AM
Mr USAfrica,
Try again, laugh again.
Posted by: simplice | Monday, 28 April 2008 at 01:27 PM
Dear Friends,
I have just read and signed the online petition:
"Freedom for all political prisoners in Cameroon and Creation of an
International Commission of Inquiry on the mass murder of unarmed
civilians by the Cameroon armed forces in February 2008"
hosted on the web by PetitionOnline.com, the free online petition
service, at:
http://www.PetitionOnline.com/280208/
I personally agree with what this petition says, and I think you might
agree, too. If you can spare a moment, please take a look, and
consider
signing yourself.
Best wishes,
Posted by: simplice | Monday, 28 April 2008 at 01:47 PM