“A Multifaceted Approach Is Essential”

Some people are of the opinion that the powers of CONAC should be increased. Are you of that opinion?
Yes, I think the Cameroonian Bar Association is equally of that opinion that the powers of the National Anti-Corruption Commission, known as CONAC, should be increased. As it stands, CONAC is not being given enough powers to carry out its missions in the fight against corruption in the country. I think CONAC needs to be really empowered with cohesive measures, which would deter people. In my opinion, CONAC is just symbolic. We know that CONAC is an observatory or some advisory body with limited powers to sanction or prosecute. That said, CONAC needs to be empowered so that when people hear that they are writing against them to CONAC, they will be afraid. The institution should have the powers to descend on the field, and should have the powers to requisition police or gendarmes to accompany them and arrest people caught in the act. So long as that is not done, and CONAC will just be there to fulfil all righteousness, then corruption would only thrive. 

How should the powers be empowered?
At the moment, what can CONAC really do? They can only recommend; they can only write reports. So, CONAC needs to be given powers. They should be able to write a report or receive a complaint, investigate, and take proper action or sue somebody before competent Courts and for some drastic measures to be taken. It's really awful with what is happening in the country as concerns corruption-related charges. CONAC should be able to order that somebody should be arrested. Their powers should go beyond writing a report or recommendations to concrete actions.  

Should the education on corruption malpractices be introduced in the curricular? 
Yes! I think I am actually of the opinion that the old school is already so deeply soaked in corruption. And we need to go right down to the springs, to this younger generation that is coming up, to teach them the values, the moral etiquette, which will shun corruption. If we do not do that, we are only fighting from the top. If you have to stop corruption, we need a top-to-bottom approach. But for us to come back to a society that has the vision of eradicating corruption, we should have it in our curricular. It used to be there, in subjects such as moral lessons, civic education, and all of that. We need to go back to that, so that our children should have ample knowledge on the fight against corruption. Through that, we will be instilling integrity and morality. Nowadays, our children are not really taught any morality. They grow up knowing that the easiest way to have money is scamming, that if you see somebody's thing, you can steal it. You can turn around and pick it, so long as you are not caught. That is why cyber criminality is on the increase amongst youths. You see everybody now is going towards the digital age, the internet, and all of that, not because they really want to have the positive side of it, but rather because they all want to scam. So, the education on corruption should be put in our curriculum. It would be a wonderful thing to have corruption inscribed in our curriculum. And of course, let us be sure that the people who teach anti-corruption rules themselves are not corrupt. 

Do you think there is a need for a specific law on the fight against corruption?
I think the fact that CONAC already exist implies that there is a law. What is left is to empower CONAC. The criminal procedure and the Penal Code are already there. It is not just a matter of making laws or rules and regulations. It is a matter of slamming the table with the hammer and letting heads roll as concerns the fight against corruption. So it is not just the need to make laws.
What we need is action. People are corrupt; they are not embezzling; they are not doing all the things that they do, all the corrupt practices, not because people do not know that they are bad; it is not because the laws are not there, but it is because of impunity. Measures should be taken so that we see how people can fight it. When competitive entrance examinations are launched, the administration should be able to put in place mechanisms to see how they catch people red-handed in fraudulent actions. CONAC should be able to investigate those things and those found guilty should be dismissed or withdrawn. That is how we set the pace. It is not just putting the laws into place. CONAC should be able to send its agents to come and investigate during public examinations. If anybody is found in those practices, let the person be arrested. That is how you do it, not that we want to enact laws which will take long before implementation.

People have been arrested for corruption-related charges but the practice still continues. What repressive measures should be put in place to discourage others?
Indeed, people have been arrested due to corruption related practices. But who are the people who have been arrested? A very few number. Let the arrest be systematic. Let them engage all these things that they are talking about, suspects should be arrested and there should be that massive arrest. The way the corruption is lingering in our society is such that you do not need to do one spot of a thing. Let there be a massive campaign against it. They arrest people today; even those that arrest, before you realize, they themselves have taken money and released the people. So, let us embark on it. The fact that the phenomenon still continues to increase is proof of the fact that whatever measures have been put in place are too little. Let us do something and do it sincerely and quickly. 
Meanwhile, on the 18th of December, the Bar Council will be signing a partnership with CONAC. There are organs that we can work with. There are credible individuals that we can get into positions of responsibility to fight corruption. We need to do something. There are gendarmes on the highway who take bribes so openly. Gendarmes are in their cars, they have a book that ke...