Some stories are disgraceful to be told in public, in the same way as some soiled credentials relating to the dignity of a people must not be allowed to live with for too long. We have for too long and shamelessly too, paraded the degrading trophy of a ‘’highly corrupt country’’ before an abashed world community, which had earlier held our country Cameroon in very high esteem.
For too long we have prided ourselves as a country that has put in place, institutions commissioned and fiscally provided for, to vigorously fight against corruption. Yet year after year, our ranking on the score board has continuously risen, only to ridicule Cameroonians as a people.
Today the breaking news is another round of a disgraceful story not good enough to be told in public. Yet we can only lament that this country which had hitherto enjoyed the admiration of many outside our borders has drastically lost credibility. It may sound like fiction, yet the situation is true and real, portraying the conducts and hidden agendas of those in high places, who think they deserve to be honoured simply because they happen to find themselves where they are today. When in actual fact they deserve to be condemned as the real enemies of this country.
The truth is that a number of very senior officials of government are now queuing up to answer a few questions at the Special Criminal Court. A minister whose passport had been confiscated for some time, indicating that there had been some red marks on his ‘’Report Card’’ successfully found his way out of the country and was only arrested in a neighbouring country. This however gives reason to ask a few question to the security service responsible for such cases. The man in question is former minister of, water and energy, Atangana Nkouna Basil. That his passport had been seized was enough to tell anyone in such a situation that he has been shortlisted for a chat with the competent authorities over certain dubious conducts while in office. In such a situation it is obvious that instinct must surely come to play in the mind of such a person. It is equally possible that instinct will instruct any smart person to do just what Atangana Kouna Basil did.
The question now is: why was action not taken against him immediately it was discovered that there was a stain on his record? Confiscating one’s passport could also work like a warning for a victim that there is danger around the corner. The end of it all is that a smart person will not sit and wait for a sad end to his solo-drama. This certainly was the mind set of Atangana Kouna Basil which led him to do just what he did. We think his escape and ultimate arrest should now serve as an eye opener for the authorities concerned, that issues such as these should be treated with every seriousness. We want to believe that this is so which is why many are now being summoned in a queue.
Whatever the case, we are aware that there had once been what was code-named ‘’operation Sparrow Hawk’’ in which several high ranking government officials were caught in webs of their own misconducts while in office and yet not much was later heard in public about what became of their files. Some however got entangled in the drag net. The general public contention is that since the agencies such as CONAC who have been entrusted with the responsibility to investigate and fish out the culprits have not been empowered to prosecute or take any criminal action against suspects, it is only evident that their hands are usually tied in accordance with the terms of reference incumbent on their mission.
The truth remains that the real powers lie with the head of state alone, to determine what next should be done to anyone whose conduct while in office does not conform with morals. This we reckon as a serious snag in the process. It obviously makes room for selective prosecution, since the president remains the only person to identify whomsoever he chooses to present before justice. While we do not question his wisdom to act justifiably, our fear is the hidden hand of human nature. In this case his arch enemies or even those who may dare refuse to do his bidding could fall victim.
We however appreciate the head of state for bringing back the ‘’Operation Sparrow Hawk’’, if only this time around it will make a mark on the ground. We cannot timidly surrender to the vices of corruption only to admit that we have lost the war against corruption. Let CONAC and all other forces fighting this war against corruption be sufficiently empowered. The war must be won gallantly.
BY ATIA AZOHNWI
(Political Desk Editor)