Jean Dieudonne Ndoumou, former subprefect of Kribi in southern Cameroon, currently serving at the prime minister’s office, has been detained at the Kribi prison for “embezzlement”, a judicial source said. According to the source, Ndoumou, subprefect of Kribi between 2000 and 2003, was accused of “involvement in the embezzlement of the first instalment of 696 million CFA (over US$ 300 million) from the National Hydrocarbons Company (SNH) for the construction of the Bipaga gas-fired power station and receiving significant commissions in the deal when he was still in office in Kribi”. The money was meant for the construction of the gas-fired station to curb the energy crisis which has affected Cameroon for nearly seven years. Since the investigation started 9 October, Ndoumou is the third persons to be arrested and detained. Bemma Din Terence and Manga Owona, the notary and village chief of Bipaga II respectively, were earlier detained at the Kribi prison on charges of embezzlement, forgery and use of forged documents and land scam. According to the source, the other subprefect involved in the case will be arres ted in the next few days, alongside some SNH officials reported to have disbursed such a huge amount of money without demanding a land deed for the 23-hectare site of the station, currently being disputed. The arrests are part of “Operation Epervier”, a drive to clean up the behavour of public officials, which has already pointed a finger at several ministers and m anaging directors of state companies. The operation’s main mission is to weed out corrupt officials from the Cameroonian civil service.
