Bekolo Ebe, Co Case: Hearing Adjourned To February 16

The Special Criminal Court (SCC) in Yaounde, on February 2, 2022 finished the first phase in the examination-in-chief of Bekolo Ebe Bruno, former Rector of the University of Douala. He is standing trial in the case: the People and the State of Cameroon (The University of Douala) against Bekolo Ebe Bruno, Akumah Reuben Fon, Mboudou Augustine Marie, Opkem Jean Pierre and Ayina Ohandja Louis Max. They are accused of the misappropriation of public funds and accessory.  
During the public court session, Bekolo Ebe Bruno for close to four hours explained to the court the expenditure of FCFA 21,850,909 and FCFA 10,168,120, which he is accused of embezzling. The facts of the case indicate that Mr Bekolo’s payment of FCFA 21,850,909 as bonuses did not respect the rules as well as the payment of FCFA 10,168,120 which represents irregularities in tax payment. Mr Bekolo in his defence said penalties linked to the late execution of certain projects associated to the University of Douala were not directly under his supervision.

He underscored that most of the projects were not executed by him, but the Ministry of Higher Education, for he was just a “gendarme” around the projects.  He said it was therefore not true to talk about him embezzling such money.  Mr Bekolo also said that it was bad faith for the control mission to have indicated that he was using money (FCFA 16,600,000) from the University to pay his lodging indemnity, when he was already being lodged by...