Kini Nsom
21 April 2008
The Centre Provincial Court of Appeal recently slammed jail terms on some 16 collaborators of the former General Manager of the Council Support Fund, FEICOM, Emmanuel-Gerard Ondo Ndong, for embezzling public funds.
The sentence was one of the nitty-gritty of the verdict of an appeal that has spanned over eight months. The 16 people had been declared not guilty and acquitted by the Mfoundi High Court last year in a verdict that slammed half a century jail term on Ondo Ndong for embezzling FCFA 11 billion.
But recently, the Court of Appeal, presided over by Justice Mange Berthe, found them guilty of being part of the FEICOM embezzlement scandal and sentenced them to various prison terms. It was in this perspective that Grace Ellesa Soppo was sentenced to 20 years while her partner in crime Laurentine Ngo got 10 years.
Edmond Medjo, Jeremiah Ndode, Marie-Gabrielle Etoga, Celestin Mibe, Pierre Ndoukam, Venceslas Ndjomo, Olinga Mvogo, Ruben Abel Ze, Ngo Cho Nyamsi and Berthe Kooh among others got a 10 year jail term each.
There was consternation, wailing and weeping from family members as the culprits were later taken to Kondengui.When the Mfoundi High Court handed down the judgement last year, lawyers of the civil party argued that many criminals were carefully let off the hook of justice.
The Appeal Court verdict turned out to be a mascot for Ondo Ndong and some of his former collaborators who have been languishing in prison for over 8 months today. After considering strong grounds of appeal from Ondo Ndong's lawyers, Justice Berthe Manga slashed the former General Manager's jail term from 50 to 20 years.
Some of his partners in crime who had bagged 48 years each, had their sentences reduced to 15 years each. They are Jean Bessala Nsana, Moise Mbella, and Deiudonne Nguema Ondo. Charles Ketchami's jail term of 35 was cut to 10 years while Roselyne Bi Ebanga who got 20 years will be in prison now only for 10 years.
The Court equally slashed off 20 years from Justin Zeze's 30 years-prison term. Instead of 25 years, Leonie Angue, who is on the run, has been prescribed a jail term of only 10 years. Oblavie Omballa's jail term of 10 years was maintained. One Daniel Peh also had his prison term cut from 40 to 10 years while Aaron Raymond had his reduced from 20 to 10 years.
Bonaventure Ndema got his term reduced from 25 to 10 years.
The former FEICOM Director of Human Resources, Tchuente Namtchueng stood tall as the greatest beneficiary of the Appeal court verdict. He was freed from a 20 years jail term the Mfoundi High Court slammed on him last year. Evina Bidoung, Luc Albert Ekomessa and Janvier Onana were also freed.
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