Controversial SWELA Secretary General Calvin Nnoko Mbele now critically ill

10, June 2022

Controversial SWELA Secretary General Calvin Nnoko Mbele now critically ill 0

The onetime prominent South West political figure who propagated anti North West sentiments during his time as Secretary General of the South West Elites Association is currently hospitalized and critically ill in a Douala hospital.

Calvin Nnoko Mbele, who moonlighted as Mayor and later on as Government Delegate to the Kumba City Council is in the most critical of conditions and because of complications coming from political neglect by the regime in Yaoundé, he recently went into septic shock and many organs are struggling, Cameroon Intelligence Report has gathered from family sources.

“Medics are working hard to keep him comfortable and continuously monitoring him” our intelligence officer in Douala who contributed to this report said.

Cameroon Intelligence Report understands the blood gas levels of the former Secretary General of the South West Elites Association have improved recently and his numbers are holding.

The news of Calvin Nnoko Mbele’s hospitalization in Douala comes after he was rushed out of Kumba due to the poor security situation in the city.

‘We are aware of Nnoko Mbele’s situation and are praying for his health and his family,’ a friend of the veteran CPDM politician said to CIR.

By Edia Peter in Douala

Exclusive: Yerima weighs in on Mamfe Hospital Disaster

10, June 2022

Exclusive: Yerima weighs in on Mamfe Hospital Disaster 0

Ambazonia Interim Government Statement on the Mamfe Hospital Disaster

Fellow Ambazonians,

Yesterday, 9 June 2022, the Mamfe District Hospital, Manyu County, was burned down by unidentified arsonists. This savagery and crime against humanity was deliberate and designed to terrorize and traumatize our population. The act is despicable, unacceptable, and ill-advised, and the Interim Government of Ambazonia condemns it in the strongest possible terms. The hearts of all Ambazonians go out to all the patients, and hospital workers caught up in this criminal enterprise. The Interim Government of the Federal Republic of Ambazonia wishes a speedy recovery to all who sustained injuries during the attack.

Over the last three years, all over Ambazonia, criminal militias have been working with the French Cameroun regime in Yaoundé to sabotage our resistance and quest for independence. The Interim Government of Ambazonia has therefore commissioned Ambazonia Intelligence Services and Ground Zero commanders operating in Manyu to investigate this shameful act in Mamfe. The Interim Government of Ambazonia shall liaise with the EU, AU, and the UN including major international organizations to bring the perpetrators of this shameful act to swift justice.

People of Ambazonia, our fight for freedom represent an unyielding rejection of delinquency in any form, shape or manifestation. This rejection is consistent with international law, which gives hope to colonized people struggling for their liberation. Hospitals, Churches and Schools must remain free from attacks at all times. History teaches us that many nations have won their liberation battles, and we shall overcome.

Fellow Ambazonians, we will continue to fight until self-determination is achieved. Be neither discouraged nor distracted despite the repeated doses of cranial activities in our midst. Our time shall come. French Cameroon is a nation that has no respect for human lives and international norms. But we must continue fighting for freedom and justice with respect for international standards.

We have many more years of struggle and suffering before us as the path we have chosen is full of danger, but it is a path worth taking. The cost of freedom is high, but we must pay the price, and we must pay that price with respect for our people. As a people, one path we shall never choose is the path of criminality. Our task is simple; we must win and live free or die in the process of freeing ourselves.

Thank you

Dabney Yerima

Vice President

Federal Republic of Ambazonia

Corrupt France: CCTV footage during Champions League final has been deleted

10, June 2022

Corrupt France: CCTV footage during Champions League final has been deleted 0

Pressure was growing Friday on French authorities after the surprise revelation CCTV footage from the Stade de France during the Champions League final last month has been deleted, with critics alleging a deliberate cover-up.

The French Football Federation revealed Thursday to a commission at the French Senate the images had been destroyed automatically having not been subject to a warrant from judicial authorities, in line with French law.

The revelation adds to the controversy after crowd control problems, tear gas and street crime marred the final at Paris’ Stade de France between Liverpool and Real Madrid on May 28.

France’s reputation has taken a battering as laid out in a government report on Friday.

It said the “chain of failures” by French authorities has inflicted “severe damage” on the image of the country.

Opposition politicians seized on the latest revelations about the CCTV footage to hammer the authorities.

“It’s called covering your tracks,” far-right National Rally leader Marine Le Pen told BFMTV on Friday.

“The fact that there is no CCTV footage allows their huge lies to be covered,” Le Pen added, pointing to the initial claim from the French government that fake tickets on an ‘industrial-scale’ caused the pandemonium.

Police asked Stade de France for the footage, but only on Thursday evening after it became public that the images had been destroyed, a source close to the case told AFP Friday.

“Yesterday’s information that the images would not be kept for one month, but only a few days, led us to ask for them,” Bobigny prosecutors, in charge of the investigation into fake tickets, said.

The State de France is allowed to store CCTV footage for a maximum of 30 days, but the servers only have the capacity to store them for seven or eight.

On Twitter French police said Thursday the images taken by the Stade de France cameras may no longer exist but that the police still had their images.

But Socialist vice-president of the Senate’s law commission David Assouline said Friday on Franceinfo radio he was “stupefied” by the news, adding it demonstrated an “incredible lack of co-ordination” between the police and politicians.

-‘State scandal’-

Liverpool mayor Steve Rotheram, questioned by the Senate commission after the FFF delegation, said that he failed “to understand why the videos were destroyed”.

“We’re heading straight towards a state scandal,” the head of the opposition Republicans (LR) faction in the Senate, Bruno Retailleau, told RFI radio, adding the destruction of the CCTV footage was an “intentional act … to make evidence disappear”.

But ruling party MP Aurore Berge said on RMC radio that there were enough elements for the investigation.

“We have plenty of witness statements and images that should nonetheless guide (the investigators),” Berge said.

On Thursday the chief of the Paris police Didier Lallement admitted in front of the Senate commission investigating the May 28 chaos that the security operations for the Champions League final were a “failure”.

“It was a failure because people were pushed around and attacked. It’s a failure because the image of the country was tarnished,” he said.

Lallement and Interior Minister Gerald Darmanin initially blamed the mayhem on as many as 40,000 Liverpool fans who massed at the stadium without tickets or with counterfeit tickets.

That figure has been widely disputed since by witnesses and media using images from the ground, and Lallement admitted yesterday: “Perhaps I made a mistake with the figure I gave to the minister”.

He acknowledged there were not 30,000 to 40,000 “at the gates of the stadium” but maintained that several thousands were “in the vicinity” of police checkpoints at the Stade de France to the north of the capital.

Many Liverpool supporters struggled to enter the stadium, leading to kick-off being delayed by more than half an hour and crushes at the entry gates, where police fired tear gas.

The government’s initial decision to blame Liverpool fans for the problems caused tensions between France and Britain, while raising questions about the capacity of Paris to host the Rugby World Cup next year and the Olympic Games in 2024.

Source: AFP

France, Germany, UK urge Iran to ‘cease its nuclear escalation’, finalise deal

10, June 2022

France, Germany, UK urge Iran to ‘cease its nuclear escalation’, finalise deal 0

Germany, the United Kingdom and France on Thursday urged Iran to “cease its nuclear escalation” and “urgently conclude the deal currently on the table” to revive the 2015 nuclear agreement.

“There has been a viable deal on the table since March,” they said in a joint statement.

“We regret that Iran has not seized the diplomatic opportunity to conclude the deal. We urge it to do so now.”

Formally known as the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA), the 2015 deal gave Iran relief from crippling economic sanctions in exchange for curbs on its nuclear activities.

But in 2018 then US president Donald Trump unilaterally pulled out of the pact and reimposed sanctions, prompting Iran to begin rolling back on its own commitments.

Talks to revive the deal began in April last year, but have stalled since March.

The UN atomic energy watchdog earlier Thursday said Iran was removing 27 surveillance cameras at its nuclear facilities, warning this could be a “fatal blow” to the negotiations.

“These actions only aggravate the situation and complicate our efforts to restore full implementation of the JCPOA,” the joint statement said.

“We urge Iran to… cease its nuclear escalation, and urgently conclude the deal currently on the table to restore the JCPOA, while this is still possible.”

Source: AFP

Mamfe Hospital Disaster: More evidence is emerging, and it is not good for Amba fighters!

10, June 2022

Mamfe Hospital Disaster: More evidence is emerging, and it is not good for Amba fighters! 0

Once news about the burning of the Mamfe General Hospital emerged, many people started condemning the military and most people based their argument on the fact that a checkpoint had been established opposite the hospital and that those military officers at the checkpoint were supposed to have acted while the operation was going on.

While the military is not made up of saints and angels, the evidence emerging is gradually incriminating Amba fighters who, many Mamfe residents accuse of having been masterminding the destruction of the town for months now. Many point to the burning of the Mamfe Motor Park which resulted in the deaths of at least two people and there are people in Mamfe who know a lot but cannot speak because of threats and fear of possible revenge.  

According to a nurse who was on duty at the Mamfe General hospital on Wednesday when hell suddenly broke loose at the hospital and who has pleaded for her name and identity to be protected, the military checkpoint opposite the hospital had been dismantled long before the burning of the hospital.

She added that she did recognize some of the boys who are Mamfe boys, adding that she was scared of her security and was going through a depression after having known that the boys who burnt down the hospital were indeed young Mamfe boys she knew.

She explained that before the buildings were burned down, the criminals who pass off as Amba fighters had ordered every sick person to leave, but there was a lady who could not walk because she had just been operated upon. The criminals had to carry the lady to a house close to the hospital to drop her off there as if that was their home. 

When the owner of the house, Mr. Adolf Limungang, who is a businessman in Mamfe refused that the lady should not be kept there, the Amba boys kidnapped Mr. Limungang who is now in the bush for challenging the Amba boys. The criminals are now asking for a CFAF 10 million ransom if they must release Mr. Limungang who has nothing to do with the struggle and Amba boys. 

Mr. Adolf Limungang is now in the bushes and based on information from those who saw the boys, Mr Mr. Adolf Limungang also knew the boys and this may complicate things for him. While some Manyu people living abroad and out of the Division have been insinuating that those who committed such atrocities were boys coming from other parts of Southern Cameroons, the evidence is now pointing to something else, and our source is clearly urging people of Manyu to stop blaming other people for their problems.

“Brother, we cannot continue to blame other people for our stupidity. I know some of the boys who came and brunt the hospital. They are boys I see here in town all the time. They are young unemployed boys who are totally under the influence of drugs. I am simply scared to call their names and I think if I call their names, they may come after me,” she stressed. 

“We are our own worst enemy. The military only came in after the incident and the soldiers helped to carry some of the helpless patients who were in the corridor to safety. The military can be blamed for other things, but they are not responsible for this act of wickedness. I saw it with my own eyes, and it will be unfair and wrong for me to blame other people. Our own Manyu boys have ruined one big asset we had in our Division. Where will our pregnant women be going for consultations now? Not everybody has money to travel out of the Division or to go to private clinics,” she lamented. 

“Why would any normal person be burning a hospital that is helping everybody? Do Amba fighters and their families not need a hospital? The same boys have issued threats that they will burn the Mamfe Central Market and there has been a mad rush to pack out of the market on Thursday. Traders have taken their products out of the market and most shops will be closed for days. How is the ordinary man going to cope with this unhealthy situation that Mamfe boys are creating for their own people. Inflation is already killing us. Why are we doing this to ourselves?” he regretted.

“I have lost my job. Like most nurses, I just wanted to help the sick. I liked seeing people recover from their illnesses. If the hospital cannot be rebuilt in a few months’ time, then I might be heading out of the town to look for a different job. Let us not try to pin this on the military. Mamfe boys are responsible. I saw them and I know them, and I know where their families are. A friend of mine who was also on duty is now going through a depression. She is already in Kumba and she might not be coming back to Mamfe. None of us ever thought Manyu boys would destroy their own hospital,” she said.

Many people have been asking and will continue to ask why Amba fighters will burn the Mamfe General hospital, but the answer is also a question. What do they gain by stopping children from going to school for five years? What do they gain by undressing young girls who only want to study? The videos are out there and those who undressed those young girls and boys were not soldiers.

What do they gain by chasing students from schools in rural parts of Southern Cameroons? Are they Olympians who just want to be running? Even if they want to represent a country at the Olympics, which country will they be representing? Why practice for Olympics with young schoolboys and girls who simply need knowledge in order to be ready for a future which will be knowledge-based?

While investigations are still underway, it is wrong to dismiss the role Amba fighters are playing in the destruction of infrastructure in a region which is infrastructure deficient.

The initial objectives of the struggle were noble, but with time, they have morphed into something many people no longer understand. Many young men who pass off as Amba fighters are now very destructive and their objective is to make money – be it by crook or by hook.

It is good to support struggles, but it is wise to support a struggle that is well coordinated and under the control of responsible leaders. The Amba struggle is off its rails and those holding guns are intent on destroying than promoting the well-being of their people.

In villages today, Amba fighters have become judges and lawyers, with many imposing stratospheric amounts on people who have not committed any crime. Many innocent people have lost their lives not because the military killed them, but because gun-toting Amba fighters hold that they have the right to determine who has to die and who has to live. 

A revolution is not supposed to make things worse, but the one in Southern Cameroons is destroying the very people and properties it is supposed to protect. It is time to revisit the struggle and to redefine new objectives, if only the leaders have any control over the Amba fighters.

By Soter Tarh Agbaw-Ebai with files from Kingsley Betek, John Besong and  Fon Lawrence

2023 AFCON: Salah-less Egypt suffer shock loss to Ethiopia

9, June 2022

2023 AFCON: Salah-less Egypt suffer shock loss to Ethiopia 0

Egypt sorely missed injured captain Mohamed Salah as they slumped to a shock 2-0 defeat by Ethiopia on Thursday in 2023 Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) qualifying.

A strain ruled out the prolific Liverpool scorer after he defied his club last Sunday and played in a victory over Guinea despite not being fully fit.

Egypt lacked several other injured first choices, but were still expected to secure maximum Group D points in neutral Malawi against opponents 108 places lower in the world rankings.

But the quick Ethiopian forwards repeatedly troubled a slow Egyptian defence in the opening half and goals from Dawa Hotessa and captain Shemeles Bekele gave them a two-goal half-time advantage.

Egypt had more possession in the second half on a pitch badly cut up in places due to torrential pre-match rain.

Ethiopia were forced to play in Lilongwe because, like 16 other countries competing in qualifying, they do not have an international-standard stadium.

Coach Ehab Galal has only been in charge of Egypt for two matches after Portuguese Carlos Queiroz could not agree terms for an extension of his contract.

Galal, who left Cairo club Pyramids to take over the Pharaohs, will now come under intense pressure as a year filled with disappointments for Egypt continues.

They lost the last Cup of Nations final to Senegal on penalties in February and one month later suffered a similar fate against the same team in a play-off to decide who went to the 2022 World Cup in Qatar.

Egypt needed 87 minutes to score the goal that beat Guinea in the opening round of 2023 Cup of Nations qualifying and the loss to Ethiopia left them bottom of the table.

The only consolation for Galal and his squad is that the other teams in the section — Ethiopia, Malawi and Guinea — have also won and lost so each side has three points.

Source: AFP

Cameroon sees drop in new HIV/AIDS infections

9, June 2022

Cameroon sees drop in new HIV/AIDS infections 0

A new study by Cameroon’s Ministry of Public Health has revealed that the Central African nation has witnessed a remarkable drop in new HIV/AIDS infections.

The study was presented on Tuesday in the capital, Yaounde during a meeting to evaluate strides made to combat the epidemic in the country.

According to the 18-month study, 3.5 million HIV tests were carried out since January last year and 93,000 people were confirmed positive with the South Region having the highest number of confirmed cases.

Zoung-Kanyi Bissek, a senior official at the public health ministry said the results indicated a drop in prevalence from 3.3 percent in 2020 to 2.7 percent this year.

“This shows that the strategies put in place are well on course and are recording positive results. In those strategies, women and children are particularly targeted,” Bissek told reporters.

Source: Xinhuanet

Mamfe Hospital Disaster: Dr. Joachim Arrey says Manyus must rebuild the General Hospital

9, June 2022

Mamfe Hospital Disaster: Dr. Joachim Arrey says Manyus must rebuild the General Hospital 0

“We must rebuild our general hospital. Without this hospital, my siblings and I would not be alive today. It is preposterous for anybody to burn a hospital. If this hospital has been destroyed by Amba fighters, then they do not know what they are fighting for. They have stopped children from going to school and now they are burning health facilities which do serve them and their families. If it is the military that is behind this unfortunate event, then they are simply justifying why people in Mamfe should distrust and hate them. This is unfortunate, but we must not let the wicked destroy us. Our strength will be determined by how fast we rebuild our beloved hospital and not how much we speak,” Dr. Joachim Arrey, the the executive director of the global think Tank for Africa speaking to Cameroon Concord News Group’s editor-in-chief, Soter Tarh Agbaw-Ebai, following the burning of the Mamfe General hospital.

Cameroon Concord News: I don’t know how to start. This is very bad news. The burning of the Mamfe General Hospital cannot be a good idea. Who could be responsible for this? 

Dr. Joachim Arrey: Thank you for giving this platform for me to share my perspective on the burning of the Mamfe General Hospital. I am devastated. This has spoiled my day. Who burns a hospital with patients in it? What type of wickedness is this? It will take years to rebuild that hospital. However, we should not despair. This is a problem and an opportunity. The people of Manyu must show that sense of purpose they have been talking about for centuries. This is action time. No long speeches. This is terribly bad. However, we must rebuild our general hospital. Without this hospital, my siblings and I would not be alive today. It is preposterous for anybody to burn a hospital. If this hospital has been destroyed by Amba fighters, then they do not know what they are fighting for. They have stopped children from going to school and now they are burning health facilities which do serve them and their families. If it is the military that is behind this unfortunate event, then they are simply justifying why people in Mamfe should distrust and hate them. This is unfortunate, but we must not let the wicked destroy us. Our strength will be determined by how fast we rebuild our beloved hospital and not how much we speak. 

Cameroon Concord News: This is really confusing. How do you think this can be handled? The rebuilding should be led by the government. 

Dr. Joachim Arrey: You are totally right! This is the government’s domain, but we can work with the government to rebuild our hospital. We cannot wait for our people to start dying like ants before we act. Be advised that when you have money, you have power. If we, the people of Manyu Division, can mobilize USD 1 million in a short time, we will force the government’s hands.  We have our people who are in government, and they should be telling us how to proceed. We are already working on a massive fundraising campaign and the Manyu Diaspora will have to demonstrate its love for our people in Manyu Division. I am already talking with many people, and they are willing to bring money to the table. I am here by announcing my modest contribution of CFAF 1 million for the reconstruction of the Mamfe General Hospital. There is a Manyu brother who has promised millions too. I prefer to keep that under wraps until we come up with a clear plan. However, we are calling on Manyu sons and daughters abroad and at home to organize fundraisers. Let us give! There is more pleasure in giving than receiving. 

Cameroon Concord News: Who do you think should coordinate this massive effort?

Dr.Joachim Arrey: We still have very many good people among us. Some are medical doctors; others are politicians, while others are administrative officers. I know of Prof. Robinson Mbu, Minister Victor Mengot and Senators Enow Tanjong and George Tabetando who are good people who can provide effective leadership in times of crisis. Many of them know their way in Yaoundé and they have that leverage to push for a fast reconstruction of the hospital. If any of them steps in to provide the much-needed leadership, then I will give much of my time to the fund-raising effort. 

Cameroon Concord News: But the government is always slow when it comes to development. It has not even issued a statement on the event. This is an emergency and urgent solutions are required. 

Dr. Joachim Arrey: You are right! The government’s machinery is always very slow. It appears there are no emergencies on its agenda. We however have options. We can work with our traditional leaders to build a brand-new state-of-the-art hospital in Mamfe while the government continues to think in slow motion. We have the numbers, and we should use this numbers to serve our people. I am thinking that if the Yaoundé government is too slow for our liking, we should be talking to the mayor of Mamfe or Chief Godson Oben who is the paramount chief of Mamfe so that they can allocate us land for the building of an ultra-modern medical facility which would deliver world-class services to our people at affordable prices. That is why it is urgent and important for us to mobilize resources very fast. We don’t have to wait for our government. I am also urging those back home to organize fundraisers for this purpose. No amount will be too small. We all must work for our beloved Manyu. 

Cameroon Concord News: I hope Manyu people at home and abroad will listen to you and act accordingly.

Dr. Joachim Arrey: I hope so too. This is the time for us to demonstrate that love we all say we have for our beloved Manyu. We must avoid long speeches at this time. We must act if we do not want our people to perish. It is in our power to deliver our people from the disaster that is staring them in the face. 

Cameroon Concord News: Thank you Dr. Arrey for talking to Cameroon Concord News Group

Dr. Joachim Arrey: It is always a pleasure to share perspectives with you and your team. Have a great day!

Mamfe Hospital Disaster: The army is to blame!

9, June 2022

Mamfe Hospital Disaster: The army is to blame! 0

The news of the burning of the Manyu District hospital has hit many Cameroonians like a ton of bricks and many are asking many questions. What could have pushed anybody to burn down a hospital that is serving more than forty thousand inhabitants of the town of Mamfe and its environs?

From the first analysis made by the Cameroon Concord News Group’s correspondent in Mamfe who has visited the ruined buildings, it is evident that gasoline was used in the burning down of up to ten wards of the hospital.

“This is a coordinated act. How was this gasoline transported to the hospital when there are multiple checkpoints in and around Mamfe, the capital city of Manyu Division? There is a checkpoint in Mile One, there is another checkpoint opposite the hospital and there is a huge army camp in Besongabang, some two kilometers away from the hospital. How come none of the soldiers saw anything?” Our correspondent in Mamfe asked.

“I have been talking to many people around town and they say they saw soldiers heading in that direction yesterday at about 9pm Mamfe time and after they got into the hospital, there was a massive exchange of gunfire which sent the residents of the town to deck for cover in their homes, especially those living opposite the hospital. The military has to answer for this and there is nothing that will convince the people of Mamfe that the military is innocent,” our correspondent said.

“The government must launch a massive and transparent investigation and the investigators must talk with the people of Manyu Division if the facts must come out. There are many people who know the truth, but they are scared of talking. It is alleged that two French-speaking military officials had been seen in the day ferrying fuel from place to place, but the population thought nothing of it. The people of Mamfe thought it was the military and that the soldier might be travelling overnight, so they need extra fuel for their trip. These military officials must be investigated,” he said.

“There is much talking in Mamfe that the military thinks that carrying out such acts of violence and irresponsibility will intimidate the population into disconnecting from the rebellion. But this act is certainly going to be counter-productive. The people of Mamfe are angry both with the military and Amba fighters who do not have the capacity to undertake such a massive operation. I have called one of the Amba soldiers in Nchang, some three kilometers from the hospital, and he has stressed that they had not carried out any operations in that area. I have also talked with Amba generals in Mfuni and Ossing and they have also said that they cannot be destroying a hospital that is helping their own people. They have clearly pointed an accusing finger at the military, adding that how could that have happened when the military is directly opposite the hospital. There are many military checkpoints in Mamfe, and it is surprising that such an elaborate scheme can be implemented without the knowledge of the military,” he stressed.

“I am still investigating, but there is a lot of tension out here. The military seems to be hiding something. Our traditional chiefs must come together to produce a joint statement that will soothe the minds of our people. The people are angry, and they want the military to pay for its crime. Chief Oben, the Paramount Chief of Mamfe, has been seen this morning and he is clearly disappointed with the situation. He was a chief medical officer of this hospital before retiring and he did a great job renovating the hospital. The people are looking up to him for a fund-raising event that can result in the mobilization of massive resources to rebuild the hospital,” he underscored.

Meanwhile, sources in Yaoundé have indicated that the government is aware that there are many military officials who want the struggle to continue because they are making huge gains from the people’s suffering. The source, which spoke on condition of anonymity, said that the government is currently watching some army officials who are being suspected of stoking the fires in Southern Cameroons.

“The government is aware of the malicious intentions of some of its military officials who want the crisis to continue because the situation is helping them to live like maggots in bacons in Yaoundé. The government has not yet had enough probable cause to arrest them, but undercover agents are working very hard to uncover the secret plots put in place by these ignoble characters who are causing the country to continue to bleed. It is a matter of time. They will be unmasked,” the source said. 

Meanwhile the Cameroon Concord News Group is calling on Manyu sons and daughters to organize fundraisers so that the hospital can be rebuilt in a very short period of time. While it is the government’s responsibility, the Board of Directors of the Cameroon Concord News Group holds that if the people of Manyu Division can come with lots of money, the government will be obliged to cave in and avoid the long procurement procedures that may delay things. 

By Soter Tarh Agbaw-Ebai

Platini was worth a million, Blatter tells court

9, June 2022

Platini was worth a million, Blatter tells court 0

Michel Platini “was worth his million” Swiss francs a year, former FIFA president Sepp Blatter insisted Thursday, telling a Swiss court he could not understand why the pair were answering fraud charges.

The former world football chief and French football legend Platini are being tried at Switzerland’s Federal Criminal Court in the southern city of Bellinzona, following an investigation that began in 2015 and lasted six years.

The pair are being tried over a two million Swiss franc ($2.08 million) payment in 2011 to Platini, who was then in charge of European football’s governing body UEFA.

Blatter spoke for the first time in the two-week trial, which opened on Wednesday.

“I just had this man on my team and he was worth his million,” said the 86-year-old retired Swiss football administrator.

Platini was employed as an adviser to Blatter between 1998 and 2002. They signed a contract in 1999 for an annual remuneration of 300,000 Swiss francs, which was paid in full by FIFA.

The men insist that they had, from the outset, orally agreed to an annual salary of one million francs.

Blatter joined FIFA in 1975 and became the president of world football’s governing body in 1998.

He told the court he turned to former France captain Platini for advice.

Platini is regarded among world football’s greatest-ever players. He won the Ballon d’Or, considered the most prestigious individual award, three times in the mid-1980s.

“When I was elected as president of FIFA, we had a bad record. But I thought that a man who had been in football could help us — FIFA and myself,” Blatter told the court.

Platini “told me: ‘I’m worth a million’. I told him: ‘So you’ll be with me for a million’,” he added.

‘Gentlemen’s agreement’

The prosecution accuses Blatter of having signed off an invoice for two million Swiss francs presented to FIFA by Platini in 2011, almost nine years after the end of his work as Blatter’s adviser.

But the two men had never signed a contract providing for such a salary.

Blatter insisted that he had agreed with Platini a “balance” to be settled “later” when FIFA’s finances would allow it, in a “gentlemen’s agreement” concluded orally and without witnesses.

“It’s a salary that was due,” he insisted.

“I don’t know why we are in a criminal hearing for an administrative procedure,” he said in a strained voice, repeating that the investigation had put him through “seven years of punishment — an eternity”.

Both are accused of fraud and forgery of a document. Blatter is accused of misappropriation and criminal mismanagement, while Platini, 66, is accused of participating in those offences.

The trial will conclude on June 22, with the three judges expected to deliver their verdict on July 8.

If convicted, the pair could face up to five years in jail or a fine.

Source: AFP

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