Police arrests, parades notorious cybercrime suspect in Yaounde.

According to the Assistant Research Officer at the DGSN, Police Commissioner, Vincent de Paul Meva’a, investigations were launched after they were alerted of a fake communiqué on social media. 

The fake communique he said, is said to have been signed by the Delegate General for National Security, Martin Mbarga Nguelle.

He said they also received several complaints from several victims. The suspect, the Police Commissioner said, created a fake Facebook account of the National Centre for the production of passports and a fake Facebook account bearing the name of the General Delegation of National Security. Kwembou he also said, was also in possession of a scanned seal of the State which he used to produce fake documents. The suspects is said to have planned to dupe persons seeking to new their identification document such as passports and the National Identity Card.

The Police Commissioner recalled that: “Few years ago our country was facing a big problem with passports. And the Delegate General for National Security got the authorization from the Head of State to solve the problem.  But before that, the scammer used this opportunity to publish this fake communiqué to invite the population to contact him using a phone number”.

Meva’a furthered that: “But the Delegate General of National Security did not sign this release. These are not the numbers of the DGSN neither is it that of our partners. When we discovered the communiqué on social media,” an investigation was launched.

The investigations, he disclosed, lasted for over two years having ended on April 5, 2024. This, he said, was following the arrest of the suspect.

According to the Police Commissioner, several people in major towns like Douala and Yaounde have been victims of Kwembou’s activities. He said there are also cases of victims based abroad especially in China. He said some of the victims have been contacted, especially those ready to testify.

He went further to add that, the victim risk life imprisonment for use of the seal of the state as per article 201 of the penal code. It was also disclosed that, the suspect will face charges for illegally using the Seal of the State which is punishable as per article 318 of the penal code.

The presentation of the suspect was an occasion for forces of law and order to advise Cameroonians on the need to be vigilant. Police Commissioner Meva’a also advised the public to make use of official DGSN platforms when applying for documents.  He urged the public to dial the toll free number 1500 in case of any doubt.