By DOH JAMES SONKEY IN YAOUNDE
Budget and Finance Disciplinary Council has unmasked that from 2002 to 2014, some 8 officials from the Cameroon Postal Services, CAMPOST were found guilty of 22 management faults that caused the state to lose FCFA 7 billions 458 millions 915 thousands 918frs while 3 from the Douala Port Authority were found guilty of committing 42 management faults resulting in the loss of FCFA 4 billions 124 millions 399 thousand 158frs making a total of 11 billions 583 millions 315 thousand 076frs representing close to 99,42% of the amount in question.
The revelation was made in a press release issued recently by the Chair of the Budget and Finance Disciplinary Council, Minister Delegate at the Presidency in charge of Supreme State Audit Office, Mbah Acha Rose at the end of the closing sessions of their council’s activities for the year 2016.
According to the information note, a copy of which The SUN procured, these 11 persons are part of 33 state officials whose files were examined and they were found guilty of mismanaging a total of eleven billions six hundred and fifty one million, two hundred and eighty six thousand, four hundred and seventy frs (FCFA 11 651 286 470) by members of this council during their last sessions at the end of 2016.
The SUN was reliably informed by a source at the Supreme State Audit Office in Yaoundé that the final verdict of the Budget and Finance Disciplinary Council was immediately forwarded to the President of the Republic, Paul Biya who is the number 1 state auditor for his high level appreciation and to the Special Criminal Court for eventual court actions against the accused.
The managerial skills of these 33 officials were put to question in the following fields; control of the management of public investment budget from 2002 to 2007 where 9 management errors were detected against 8 officials and 7 sanctions inflicted on them to the tune of sixteen million one hundred and eighty one thousand five hundred and sixty one frs (FCFA 16 181 561), the University of Ngaoundere from 2012 to 2014 where 7 management faults were detected on 3 officials who will collectively pay a fine of FCFA 600, 000.
Other cases examined and sanctions meted on defaulters include a public health official in the South Region, an official at Ebebda Council in the Centre Region, a public works official in the Sagmelima Council, a secondary education official in the East Region on abandoned projects and an official of the Ministry of Public Works.
The report reveals that the Budget and Finance Disciplinary Council received 25 audit reports for judgment and 95 decisions for the trial of the accused signed. In 20 sessions held, 101 final decisions were taken with 44 final verdicts taken against the accused for a total of FCFA 11, 926 062 448 billions with a special fine of FCFA 21,1 billion.
The SUN equally gathered that 4 forfeitures were pronounced against 4 officials excluding them from handling any public office for at least 10 years while 9 cases were acquitted. The Budget and Finance Disciplinary Council has so far recorded some 21 appeals for their decisions to be annulled by administrative courts. But even if such appeals are granted, the accused will still stand trial at the Special Criminal Court in the days ahead.
Apart from sanctions that characterized the session, members also acquitted two officials from the Ministry of Water Resources and Energy and the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development whose files were declared clean.
It is worth noting that past decisions of the Budget and Finance Disciplinary Council taken up by competent courts have sent some embezzlers of state funds to prisons such as former General Manager of SODECOTTON, Iya Mohammed and former General Manager of SONARA, Charles Metouks while some officials praised by the council such as former Customs Director General, Minette Libom Li Likeng was seen promoted to Minister of Posts and Telecommunications by the President of the Republic, Paul Biya etc.