The Albatros Affair: Chief Inoni deserves better

Disbelief and gloom enveloped the nation following the death of Ambassador Jerome Mendouga. He was arrested alongside former Prime Minister Head of Government and hitherto Minister, Assistant Secretary General at the Presidency Chief Inoni and Marafa Hamidou Yaya, former Minister of State in charge of Territorial Administration and Decentralization, who previously served as Secretary General at the Presidency. They were accused of corruption and embezzlement and sent to jail by a Special Criminal Court in Yaounde. Mendouga’s death increased the tally of highly placed Cameroon government officials who have lost their lives ever since the Special Criminal Court sent them to prison. 

Ambassador Mendouga’s death was a political bombshell that sent shock waves across the world; dividing public opinion and heating up the national polity. Inoni, Marafa and Mendo Ze are all high profile public officials arrested and charged. But unlike Mendo Ze, Inoni and Marafa are in connection with what has come to be known as the “Albatross Affair” – the botched attempt to procure a presidential jet – in which the two are amongst other top government officials accused of embezzling $31million. Our investigation had made it abundantly clear that His Royal Highness Chief Inoni was never part of the nasty deal involving Yves Michel Fotso and Jean Atangana Mebara. To us, Chief Inoni is a man more sinned against than sinning!! We of this publication will continue to clamour for his release.

(See documents attached)