Former Minister of State Atangana Mebara in His Own Words: How I Ended Up in Kondengui

Culled from Atangana Mebara, Jean-Marie. 2011. Lettres d'ailleurs: dévoilements préliminaires d'une prise de l'Epervier du Cameroun. Paris: Harmattan.

On August 1, 2008, Jean-Marie Atangana Mebara, former the Minister of Higher Education, former Secretary-General at the Presidency, and former Minister of State for Foreign Affairs, was remanded into custody for his role in the "Albatross Affair", the botched attempt to purchase an aircraft for President Biya. In December 2011, the Paris-based l’Harmattan published Mebara's book « Lettres d’ailleurs, Dévoilements préliminaires d’une prise de l’épervier du Cameroun ». (Letters from elsewhere: Preliminary revelations of a catch of the Cameroonian Sparrow hawk). Prefaced by Cardinal Tumi, the book consists of a series of letters to his family, friends, and public personalities. In one of the letters to his daughter, he goes at length into the circumstances of his arrest, including his first days behind bars at the Kondengui maximum security prison.  Here is an excerpt:

On March 2008, I received a phone call around 6:15 am from a former close collaborator informing me that Minister Abah Abah had just been arrested, and that according to his informants, the team in charge of the operation was on its way to pick up Minister Olanguena, after which they would come for me.

I was home alone, my wife having left for morning mass as she did every morning... I quickly showered and dressed up, then made a couple of calls particularly to my faithful friend and brother, Charles, and to my junior brother MEB's... I tried unsuccessfully to pray. However, I was comforted by the fact that I had a rosary in my coat pocket, along with my identity card.

Then the wait began. I peeped through the windows in our bedroom to see if the house had been surrounded by elements of the Groupement Special d'Operations (GSO), the special police unit in charge of the operation.

About 6:55 am, the gate at the rear of the house opened. I ran out to take a look. I breathed a sigh of relief when I saw my wife drive in. Without a police escort. She stepped out of the car with a smile, and informed me that the GSO were not yet here. I had been afraid that they'll come and pick me up just when I was about to go drop off the kids at school...

Shortly thereafter, my former collaborator called to inform me that Minister Olanguena had been picked up, but that I did not feature on the list of individuals to be arrested, at least, not on that day.
[...]

After two days of prayer, meditation and reading, I decided to document what I could still remember of the Albatross affair. Within a fortnight, I was able to put together an eight-page aide-memoire with a few annexes.

I took the document to my uncle, the lawyer and former Minister [of Internal Security] Denis Ekani, and asked him to handle my defense if it ever came to that. He promised to read the document and said he would represent me unconditionally...
[…]

On April 23, 2008 I was informed that Commissioner EVINA, head of the DIR (Service d'intervention et de recherche) had come to see me. I asked that he should be let in. ...He handed me an envelope which I opened immediately. It was a summons to appear on April 25, 2008  at the Department of Judicial Police in the Division of Investigation and Finance (Direction de la police judiciaire, sous-direction des Enquêtes et Finances…

On April 25, 2008 [I] arrived at the Judicial Police  [with my uncle Denis Ekani] some 10 minutes before our appointment... We were well received [and] led to the office of Commissioner Ntonga Benjamin, Assistant Director of economic and financial investigations... He informed us that an investigation had been launched into the alleged embezzlement of funds allocated to the purchase of a presidential plane... then he informed me that I could return home at the end of his questioning. I was reassured.

The Arrest

The moment when one is taken into custody is  special.

Commissioner Ntonga played his cards well. He had informed my uncle and lawyer Denis Ekani on Thursday that I was expected at the Judicial Police the next day, Friday 1st August 2008. The next day, we went to the Judicial Police in my wife's little Japanese car, without any misgiving ... Commissioner Ntonga received us courteously as usual... I quickly noted that his collaborators were acting strangely, and did not dare to look me in the eyes.

Commissioner Ntonga began speaking. He said he owed a lot to my lawyer, Maitre Ekani, who as Secretary of State for Internal Security, had offered him his first post of responsibility... He then told me that given all the respect that he had for Mr. Ekani, he was advising me tell the whole truth so as to bring the investigation to an end. I insisted that everything that I had told him thus far was the truth... My answer did not seem to please him... Then he started asking me a series of questions... we had some heated exchanges. At the end of his questions, he asked me if I had anything in particular that I wanted to add. The words that that flowed out came no doubt from my heart and were documented in the minutes of August 1, 2008:

"I would like to reiterate here that I performed the tasks given to me by the Head of State to be best of my abilities, by associating, whenever possible, my direct collaborators or the competent administrative structures that could help carry out these instructions or missions. And, I did this with complete respect for the laws and regulations of the Republic.

The urgency of certain situations led the Secretary General at the Presidency of the Republic and other high ranking state officials to take special measures in a bid to resolve occasional crises. At no time did I attempt to satisfy my personal interest while carrying out these instructions. I would like to point out that I don't have a bank account abroad and I don’t own real estate abroad. I did my best to serve the state and the President of the Republic with loyalty, probity, efficiency and selflessness. I am willing to contribute, in any way possible, to the triumph of the truth in this affair."

It is at this point that Commissioner Ntonga notified me that I had been remanded into custody as of 10:00 am, that is, from the moment I arrived at the Judicial Police, on the orders of the State Prosecutor at the Mfoundi High Court. He said I would be brought before the State Counsel on Monday, August 4, 2008.

My uncle and I looked at each other intensely as soon as the commissioner announced my arrest. I thought I read in his eyes the following message: "Maintain your courage and your dignity, I am and will always be with you, as a father and as your lawyer.”

I asked the Commissioner if I could make a call. He allowed me to use his office phone. I was only able to get my brother Charles. I asked him to inform the rest of the family. I told my uncle to return home with the driver to update my wife, children and sisters. My uncle gave me a brief but affectionate hug. Then without saying a word, he walked out of commissioner Ntonga’s office.

A few minutes later, I was taken to a room in the basement of the building... that is where I met Mr. Otele Hubert, whom I had not seen ages. His reaction was one of complete surprise: "Mr. Minister of State, you here?!

By the way, let me divert a little with an insight into how some auxiliary officers of the justice system flout the law. Article 119 of the Criminal Procedure Code stipulates that:

1(a) where a judicial police officer intends to remand a suspect in police custody, he shall inform him of the grounds for the suspicion and invite him to give any explanation he deems necessary.
(b) Mention of these formalities shall be made in the police report.

However, Commissioner Ntonga only informed me of my arrest at the end of my hearing. By the way, remanding someone into custody on a Friday, knowing very well that he would only appear before the state counsel on Monday at the earliest, strongly suggests that his detention is not really about the search of the truth; it is primarily to humiliate and demoralize...

From our makeshift cell, Mr. Otele and I tried to support each other as best as we could; none of us had ever gone through such an experience before... Our family members visited us briefly, that is, apart from our spouses and lawyers. I remember one day when my poor wife, completely exhausted, dozed off on my camp bed. I watched her sleep... I was moved by this spectacle and upset to have imposed this ordeal on a young woman who had gotten married just eight years earlier dreaming of happiness...

We were brought before the State Counsel on August 4 in the afternoon under heavy police escort, then taken back to the offices of the Judicial Police…

Kondengui!

On August 6, 2008, were brought back to the State Counsel’s. After a three-hour wait, he took us to the investigating judge, a certain Pascal Magnageumabe, who received us one after the other. After a few preliminary questions relating to my identity, the judge read out the accusations against me and announced that I was under arrest and would be transferred to the Yaounde central prison while awaiting trial...
I left the investigating judge's office to inform my family members who were outside that I was “going down” to Kondengui. This announcement unleashed and indescribable reaction. In any case, emotion was at its peak. I was able to hug some members of my family.

Before getting into the police van which would take us to prison, I was once again able to hug those of my family members who were not completely beaten down. I reminded to my brother and friend Charles, and my junior brother Meb's, to take care of the family. My poor wife, who could barely hold back her tears said these heartwarming words which are forever etched in my mind: " Go my husband, I know you're innocent."

I took my seat in the van, surrounded by elements of the judicial police. As the car started up, I glanced at my family for the last time; almost all of them were in tears. I waved as the police car sped off towards KONDENGUI.

I don't know if there is anything more difficult for a man than to watch his loved ones suffer and cry because of the humiliation and injustice being inflicted on him!

But that was just the beginning!

In the first 10 days after my arrival, a mixed brigade of gendarmes and policemen subjected me to what is referred to as hard core searches... For hours, they ransacked and turned my bags and documents inside out. I was even subjected to a strip search by a young female gendarme. The young student gendarmes who had been assigned this task seemed particularly interested in the spectacle of a former Secretary General of the Presidency and a former Minister of health in prison. After they left, the older detainees confirmed that this was how prison officials "welcomed" new VIP inmates.

I have forgiven

In this world that I find myself since August 6, 2008, anything can happen at any time. One can succumb to illness due to a lack of care or sudden sickness; one can also be the "unfortunate victim of a blunder or dangerous incident."

If I were to leave this world tomorrow with the infamous status of an EPF prisoner (Embezzler of Public Funds), tell the world that right to the end, I viewed my plight as the will of God, my God whom I believed in throughout my life...

Tell them that I went with peace in my heart, convinced of my innocence...; tell them that I forgave - As I write these lines to you, I have already forgiven all those who have hurt me, more so those who made all of you - my wife, my children, my brothers and sisters, my relatives, my friends, and dear ones – to suffer unjustly.

*A Scribbles from the Den translation; subtitles by Scribbles from the Den.

Comments

[Enangsi]

Molaaaaaa!

This is absolutely great! You want help with further translations, you know who to call!! the whole book should be translated.

Enangsi

[Okolle]

Holy cow, this was riverting; I am torn between saying ""serves you right" and doubt - what if this guy is really innocent? Then this would have been an absolute travesty of justice.

[peter]

I have made a few work-related visits to some prisons and was surprised to find out that most incarcerated criminals have now mastered the bible. Most of the inmates i spoke with believe they're innocent. For a moment I thought there's something wrong because the law seems to be going only after goooooood people.

[J. S. Dinga]

In Cameroon there are two distinct judicial cultures at work. In one you are innocent until proven guilty in a court of law. In the other you are guilty until you prove your innocence in a court of law. From Minister Mebara's brief narrative it is clear to see which one is operative, especially when a person is picked up on a Friday afternoon and locked up for a hearing that could very well have waited till Monday morning.

[wahoo.]

If he comes out of Prison today and is given the same offices he held before, what will he do differently? At the time they were in power, they saw nothing wrong with the system. What is the system wrong now?

[Pierre Kamguia, MD.]

That is sad. But well deserved in a sense. When mr. Atangana was lording it over everyone else, he never stopped one day to question the system he was sustaining: uncles and nefews in the same government, undeserved appointments etc... Now the beast he fed has come to claim his life, for it needs his blood to water the good life for others. At least mr. Mebara had that good life for some time. 19 million of his fellow citizen have never experienced power and happiness. From that perspective, Atangana mebara has very little to complaint about. He made his bed, now he is lying in it.

[Max]

Mola,

Great job as always on a very informative blog. I don’t know if former Minister of State Atangana Mebara and all the high ranking officials currently languishing in Kondengui are innocent or not.
One thing I do know is this, within the Biya regime you see those fighting for positions to maintain their safe seats throwing former colleagues under the bus. The struggle within CPDM and the inner cycle of the Biya administration should be one day made into a movie.
Folks, mark my words, there will be a coup in Cameroon before this saga is over. Why isn’t Biya traveling abroad anymore for his medical checkup. The minute Biya travels out of Cameroon, he’s finish. Just watch.

Max

[Efundem]

It is really a movie in progress my dear brothers. The bad thing about this movie is,it might end without us knowing the truth. What an unfortunate situation Cameroon finds itself in.

[EX-CPDM]

First, Mola, you are a God send to the Cameroonian community. I enjoy your blog very much. The question here is not the joy of one troubles but the sad state of our country judicial system. If one is guilty, they should state their case in public in public trial and the State has to proof that they are guilty of the charge. It is a basic human right. Why is the State afraid to trial these people in public? It is very simple, they are afraid that the people been charge will expose the inner working of the State and therefore exposed the corrupted and ineptness of our so call Leader Hail King Biya. We are victim of a closed judicial system because the State doesn't want the people to know the truth. I had the experience of having a loved one arrested and jailed because he broke a law. After being held in prison for 10 years without trial, after spending money on his release, after years of lost income and selling assets to survive, the State said oh sorry, there is not case. The violation was not correct because the law was intended for Cameroon and not for Transit Business to the Land Lock Countries that approved the sale of those products in their country that used Cameroon as transit Port I.E Chad and CAR. A law that Cameroon later reinstated. The State never apologized, never compensated the loved one, after all the years without trial, he was asked to put back his life back together. I say to all of you who are happy, that the worst thing that can happen to a person is to lose his or her freedom without any justification or chance to defend him or her self. So my brothers and sisters. One man doesn't own the Country but we all do. One man injustice is injustices to all.

Thank you.

[Mishe]

The more I read about this Albatros saga, the more I get confused. It now appears to me that there is more to these arrests than meets the average eye. There is definitely a travesty of Justice here. If these "Dignitaries" are guilty, they should be given due process and charged in accordance with the laws. Prof. Titus Edzoa has been locked up at a Gendarmerie cell (not Kondengui) now for more than 13 years with no Trial. I find this difficult to understand. Inoni, Mebara, Mendouga, Marafa, Fonjidam and all the others accused of verious crimes deserve a Fair, equitable and expedite trial instead of this parody of third world barbarism. If found guilty, they should be condemned but if not and for the sake of Peace in our country, they should be liberated...IMMEDIATELY. It is even amazing how the Prime Minister of a country could be arrested and thrown in jail without the authorities expecting some form of eventual backlash from a certain segment of the population. This issue could have potential negative ramifications. Time will tell.

[Bokwoango]

Very depressing story, this could be a political witch hunting to prey on those seen as possible treat. Where is the money? And why jail them indefinitely without a trail to recoup the alleged funds?

[Rev.Taku-Ayuk Moses]

I happened to have had time to inform this man in his office in Etoudi as SG that the nation is sold to Satan and that he should mahe it oossible for me to see Biya and inform him of the calamities that await his nation.
I prayed with him and I left. I told him that he is a christian leader but does not know God at all. That Biya has sold the nation to Satan and that no good will follow the nation at all.He seemed a calm gentleman. if his innocence is true then God will see him thru and his enemy Biya will become the hunted tomorrow.

[dyna ngoy]

"...He informed me that an investigation had been launched into the alleged embezzlement of funds allocated to the purchase of a presidential plane..." That was in 2008. Four years after, the investigation is still going on!! What a joke? Paul Biya is a very sick person. He should be taken to the mental health hospital (Is it centre Jamot?). After Marafa and Inoni, the next set of people to Kondengui will be Amadou Ali and Laurent Esso...Trust me on this!!

[Max]

Brothers and Sisters, we need to open our eyes and see how our beloved country is being destroyed by a very few of Biya’s gang of criminals.
In Cameroon today, positions in the government connected to finance are mostly occupied by an Ewondo, Beti or someone from the Central province. Most private corporations in Cameroon today connected with the government are headed by an Ewondo, Beti or someone from the Central province.

Having just returned from Cameroon not too long ago, what I can say is this, Cameroonians are hard working people and our brothers, sisters and parents back home deserve better than Biya and his band of thieves.

The law currently in Cameroon depends how much money you have in your bank account, with the right price you can buy your way out of anything as long as you don’t mess with Biya and his inner cycle.

The larger issue here is, will the Anglophones, Bamilekes and Northerners seat back and do nothing?

[Mocktar]

This is a fascinating narrative, but I find the comments even more fascinating because it is a window into the mind of Cameroonians and a peek at why we're where we are today. We are not so much interested in the rule of law for everyone, but for those whom we care about - Mebara was bad so who cares if he is not treated according to the law?; we are not so much against torture but against torture metted out by the Biya regime - if Biya is tortured today, we will be happy; We are not so much against election fraud but election fraud that favors Biya - if the opposition was to come to power through fraud we would be just fine.... I can go on and on....

Cameroon will become a truly democratic state where the rule of law applies equally to everyone only when we will not embrace these principles in a subjective or selective manner. Justice for all - including the thieves - or justice for no one!

[The Listener]

Well, some say 'No smoke without fire', but I will say may the will of God be done and may we live to see the truth behind all these.
My sympathy to family and friends of the acused.

[Jude Eze Okafor]

Guilty or not - the dignity of these men must be respected. These are public officials who have served this country with honor, they need to be respected. What if the table turn around in their favor and they back in power tomorrow as president, prime ministers, ministers etc etc (very possible) - what will these disrespectful, abusive and evasive penitentiary and public security officials do - ? Remember former President and Ex-convict Obasanjo of Nigeria

[Helwett]

Biya has been a weakling.The old man seems to be having some guts right now.Let us give him the praise!

[KT]

This dude is guilty and should be kill for being part of the evil CPDM machine.

[Mocktar]

Guilty of being in the CPDM or guilty of stealing money destined for the Albatross? I believe these are two distinct "crimes", none of which merit "killing"..

[KT]

He should be lynch just for being a member of the CPDM.

[njika]

Every top ranking official in Cameroon is quilty of corruption. They accept or not it is clear. When you stay in the same top ranking position for years, you feel it is for your family and you manage it as such. If you do not steal, those you appointed as you like will help you do so.
May God pity their souls.

[Cameroon waker]

Dibussi, keep it up. This should serve as an eye opener to the youngsters who are shamelessly singing the Biya song just to grab their own share. All of them should rot in jail b/c they never suggested policy change, rather they treated Biya as a king.

[Robert Mugabe]

The system is always good when you are in power/position. It's not just bad, but an unfortunate system when you are relingished, relegated, or humiliated and demoralized. Biya will meet them there even if he has just seconds to die. I strongly advise all Cameroonians not to pay taxes! Yes. The billions said to have been embezzled came at a time when Cameroon was said [by the government] to be in poverty and masses were suffering, but one man spens billions to buy an object that can crash at any second.
Tunisia, Egypt, Lybia, Ivory Coast, Senegal, Mali, now Nigeria and then Cameroon.

[jinx opio]

you participated in a useless gov't. Any man worthy of the name of human being wouldn't work with that beast