Suicide Embezzlers

By Neba-Fuh

The much talked about 'Operation Epervier' is catching up with the big shots. The recent arrests of former Minister of Finance and Minister of health , Abah Abah Polycarpe and Olanguena Urbain respectfully, are recommendable, and it's like the trend is moving up to even a highly recommendable arrest by the people in the future-that of the highest ranking embezzler of the nation.

We have cried loudly and clearly of the people's money misused and unused ;and the best option to tackle this corruption issue now is to see  how part of  this huge chunk of money stolen, can be returned to the people. Many opposition figures and prominent civil society members  have been reflecting on this.
It is worth noting that all the high profile arrests  this far can not sum      
up to  1% of the suicide embezzlers in Cameroon.    

We are not talking of a policeman on control who withholds your car documents because they are incomplete or because of  overloading; or delays your journey because you forgot your ID card at home; and later solicits 500frsCFA(about $1); or a Principal who demands bribe for your child to be admitted in college; or a low income civil servant who demands bribe for your 'dossier' to pass through; we are talking about suicide embezzlers-people who steal to kill- people who are allocated public money to execute projects that are aimed at saving the lives of the already impoverished serfs, but end up stealing the money and building mega -mansions at the very noses of these same poverty-stricken serfs-What a provocation!

Since 1982, suicide embezzlers have skyrocketed in Cameroon. Virtue was dumped into the dustbin. A Minister who couldn't build a mega-mansion or own a house abroad or buy an ostentatious car was looked upon as a  misfit. Vice was upheld. Mr Biya himself, when quizzed on the corruption issue some years back asked amongst other things: 'Ou sont les preuves?'  translated vaguely as 'Where are the proofs?' If truth in logic is something to go by, then Mr Biya had to demand for proofs only after State auditing had been done and the suspects declared innocent. He couldn't have discounted so simplistically the allegation on corruption if his hands were clean.
Sometime later, he said there will be no space in the prisons if he were to arrest, charge and imprison all  corrupt individuals in Cameroon.  Recently, When determined young Cameroonians took to the streets in the recent uprisings in Cameroon, the regime could make enough space in the prisons to accommodate over a thousand of them.

The rest of the body follows where the head takes it to. What will you expect a police officer on control who has a fixed quota  to give to his commissioner as bribe at the end of the day, to do?  Moreover, these commissioners are levied quotas to give to their boss in Yaounde as well. What about custom fraud  etc? Imagine that these officials in Yaounde weren't corrupt and were not demanding their subordinates to send their own quota of bribe to them, then bribery will considerably reduced. The bad thing about bribery and corruption in Cameroon is that it follows a hierarchical trend- from top to bottom. Inasmuch, as corruption is corruption, there are some 'corruptions' that  are more 'important' than others. We call it 'embezzlement of huge chunks of public funds' -stealing to kill.

The Biya regime has stubbornly survived 25years, and during these years we have had many ministers who have toyed with the peoples' money. Some were sacked, and later reappointed without passing through any reformatory school.
To arrest corrupt Ministers is a good thing, but to get back part of, if not all the peoples' money stolen is the better thing. It is with this thought in mind that we are proposing the regime to launch a Sovereign National Anti-Corruption Council(SNAC). This is a council to be made up of old wise people of reasonable morality-Clergymen, people of the judiciary, civil society,retired respected statesmen etc, who will take an oath of 'defined confidentiality'. The council will serve as a body where people who have embezzled huge sums of money and are moved  by the fear of humiliation  of the so called corruption drive can own up and confide in them . Part of the money could be recovered in exchange of clemency. It is without doubt that some top shots are already panicking  about the possibility of embracing the filthy chambers of Kondengui prisons and will be willing to give up part of the money embezzled. For those who have already been charged and imprisoned, clemency could be guaranteed to them if they bring back a certain percentage of the money as well as pinpoint unidentified properties or other investments  acquired from the stolen money. For what good will it benefit the common man if people who are almost or over 60 years old  spend 20years or more in the prison, without relinquishing a major part of the huge sums they embezzled? If this council works through a grace period of say 6months, anybody who doesn't disclose his thievery during that period will be severely sanctioned by the law  if charged and found guilty. The maximum penalty will be meted-life imprisonment. Those who benefit from clemency will be barred from holding public office or run in any election.

There are many Ministers, former Ministers, directors, head of projects, Pay Masters, customs, top civil servants etc who are hoarding billions, and are feeling remorseful, but don't know how to channel this money back to the people. This may be why recently we noticed some former Ministers enrolling into seminaries. The  Sovereign National Anti-Corruption Council(SNAC) will serve as that channel.

Alongside the SNAC will be the National Embezzlement Recovery Fund(NERF) where money recovered from suicide embezzlers, as well as that recovered from sale of properties of  embezzlers will be  saved. This fund will be made known to the people and may be used to improve on the living standards of Cameroonians e.g pipe-borne water, roads, hospitals, medicine etc.
The sovereignty of the SNAC will be tested when  Mr Biya  presents himself and declares his own billions, misused or unused. He can be guaranteed immunity after his departure only if he will cooperate with SNAC. All Cameroonians will be witnesses. This may ease his way out in 2011, because I strongly believe Mr Biya's fear of relinquishing power before death centers on the fact that he is afraid to 'die by his own sword' if he leaves power.The legal implication of such a project can not be minimized. Therefore, legal experts will come into play. Most of the advocates of constitutional amendment, and many others will be expected to voluntarily present themselves and account for their tenures, instead of running their mouths on the issue of a life president.
   
The question is : can the regime bend down to clean its mess? Let's leave this in our wish box.