The recent press outing by Yves Michel Fotso ex-PDG of CAMAIR was certainly deeply worrisome to public authorities in Yaounde. They surely did not expect it, and the excellent public reception it got must have discouraged the government in pursuing the matter as they had intended to.
Government’s fury was let lose by Jean Pierre Biyiti bi Essam, minister of communication who issued a statement formally condemning Fotso’s initiative and also threatening the press organs that carried the interview viz: Canal 2, Equinox tv, STV and Le Messager newspaper.
The minister’s statement noted that the matter in question was already in the process of law and therefore it was grossly inappropriate for the press to take it to the public in such a manner.
Fotso had decided to take his case to the public after four months of repeated questioning by the police over allegations made against him of misappropriation of public funds as CEO of CAMAIR and the doubtful transfer of money to an aircraft dealer for the purchase of a plane for Paul Biya.
No doubt the minister’s statement was widely considered to be controversial in more than just a few respects. Was it right to claim that the matter was already at a point of the judicial process as to preclude public debate on it?
To the best of everyone’s understanding until the matter went to court with the suspect formally charged it was still a matter for debate.
All police questioning is at best to provide evidence to the prosecutor who determines if there could be a case.
To all intents and purposes Fotso was free to go to the press. And why should the press not receive him? Why would the communication minister be the one to muzzle the press? And even if the law was broken in any way shouldn’t the due process of law take its course? Who is the minister defending, the law or the wrongfulness of the authorities?
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