After 20-yr additional sentence: Akere Muna says stunned by destruction of Vamoulke’s life.

Akere Muna’s observation is the content of a note he issued on his X, formerly Twitter handle, on August 30, 2024. 

He was reacting to the August 28, 2024, ruling of the Special Criminal Court, SCC, in Yaounde that slammed an extra 20-year sentence on Vamoulke. 

“I am both stunned and distressed by the destruction of a decent human being's life, especially when, in the same country, corrupt individuals openly display billions obtained through bribes from the confessed corruptor-in-chief, GLENCORE,” Akere noted.

Before the recent sentence, Vamoulke was already serving a 12-year sentence for another matter also not unconnected to his management of CRTV.

Though the SCC, in passing judgment, said it found Vamoulke guilty of embezzlement, Akere Muna wrote that the case “remains a mystery to me”. The ruling, he also observed, came after 178 adjournments.

The former Bar Council boss said Vamoulke was “initially accused of embezzling 16 billion FCFA, which astonishingly shrank to just 2 billion FCFA in the judgment”. 

Akere explained in his reaction that the “amount actually represents unpaid debts owed CRTV, dating back to his predecessor! The company's accountant, following standard practice, classified these unpaid invoices as bad debts- nothing to do with Vamoulke!”.

Besides indicating that the United Nations, UN, has in addition to organisations from at least 40 countries been calling for Vamoulke’s release, Akere detailed other testimonies that are contrary to the developments from the Special Criminal Court.

“I know Amadou Valmouke personally. When he was appointed as CRTV General Manager, he reduced his own salary and benefits and drastically reduced handouts to board members. His former colleague, Alain Massé, head of RFI, referred to him as ‘Mr. Clean of Public Media’, noting how he opted for two-star hotels while others stayed in luxury accommodations,” Akere disclosed.

The respected lawyer further revealed that he spoke with “ the former Chairman of the Independent Procurement Commission at CRTV, who praised Vamoulke's transparency and integrity, stating he never involved himself in procurement issues”. 

The anti-corruption champion also said recruitments into CRTV, under Vamoulke, were “solid and transparent”.

It is worth noting that the now jailed journalist managed CRTV from 2005 to 2016. He has been behind bars for eight years. He had been sentenced to 12 years in prison in 2022. The August 28 20-year sentence means Vamoulke, now 74, will spend 32 years in jail.

Reporters Without Borders also criticizes judgment 

In a statement on August 30, international organisation, Reporters Without Borders, said it is outraged by the ruling. The organisation quoted Sadibou Marong, its Sub-Saharan Africa Desk Director, as having said: “This grotesque conviction completes a judicial persecution that has lasted for eight years now against a journalist known for his rigor and integrity”. 

Sadibou, Reporters Without Borders further quoted, observed that: “Everything is problematic in this case- on the merits, there is evidence attesting to Amadou Vamoulké’s innocence; on the form, the two judgments were rendered illegally under Cameroonian law. How can a journalist be sentenced to a total of 32 years in prison, all on the basis of baseless accusations and without tangible evidence? The authorities must urgently act and release this journalist who suffers from several health problems”.

This story was first published in The Guardian Post issue N0:3219 of Wednesday September 04, 2024