CRTV’s Mendo Ze in court: Ex-GM looting method revealed ¹

The case brought by the Ministry of Finance against the former minister and general manager of the Cameroon Radio and Television, Gervais Mendo Ze and his co-accused had a hearing on Tuesday at the Special Criminal Court in Yaoundé. Cameroon Concord News understands the charges against the accused relate to the period from the 1^st of January 2004 to 26^th of January 2005.

For the first hearing, three absences were noted and they were Elisabeth Mongory, Patricia Enam Melone and Abah Abah Polycarp, the former Minister of Economy and Finance. The Tuesday hearing was devoted to the preliminary formalities relating to the identification of the accused and the presentation of the allegations against them.

At the end of the legal ritual, all accused pleaded not guilty. Dieudonné Epo, the chief inspector of the treasury, accused of embezzling one million CFA francs in co-operation with the former CRTV boss was ordered to sit with handcuffs during the proceedings for having repaid the amount ever since the opening of the judicial investigation.

The prosecutor at the Special Criminal Court accused the ex-GM of CRTV for fraudulently obtaining at the detriment of CRTV, in his personal capacity the sum of 18 billion CFA francs distributed as follows: CFAF 600 000 in transport allowances; CFAF 53.867 million unforeseen expenses; CFAF 116,228 million imaginary expenses – without going for any missions, CFAF 300 million for undue collection of hospitality expenses; CFAF 360 million for the unjustified revaluation of the operating credit of the Directorate General, CFAF 20 million relating to the undue levying of audiovisual license fees and 125 million for unjustified payment of the audiovisual license fee.

In co-operation with Patricia Enam Meloné, former administrative and financial director, the ex-GM was during the Tuesday hearing also accused respectively of having facilitated the disappearance of two separate amounts of money: 420, 558 million and 361.747 million FCFA. In complicity with Samuel Andang Mgbwa, the Special Criminal Court said, Mendo Ze embezzled the sum of 339 million FCFA. With Elisabeth Mongory who has reportedly escaped, Medno Ze collected 15 and 28 million FCFA in different periods. With Alima Priso (deceased), Mendo siphoned  123 million FCFA.

In co-operation with Luc Evariste Etogo Mbezelé (deceased), 290 million FCFA. With Pascal Manga, deputy director of taxes, 3,600 million FCFA. With Jérôme Nchotebah Nembongwe, Chief Controller of Taxes: 15 million FCFA. With Nguelle Ndongo epse Mekoulou Atangana, journalist, they are prosecuted for the sum of 251.675 million FCFA; With Ramssina, a computer engineer, 13 million FCFA, Hyacinthe Abena Abena, executive officer, 5 million FCFA, Amang Bitégni Jean Paul, 98.178 million FCFA,  with Polycarpe Abah Abah, ex-Minister of Finance, 205.873 million FCFA. Akono Ze Jean Marie, Financial Representative of CRTV at the Treasury, 15.265 billion FCFA. Menga Wabo Colette, accountant, 3 million FCFA and Ondoua Ondoua Daniel, administrative agent at Crtv, 3 million 60 thousand FCFA. The hearing was adjourned to December 17, 2015 for the presentation of the witnesses by the various parties.

By Soter Tarh Agbaw-Ebai with files from the Special Criminal Court