COVID19 Funds Usage: Legal Proceeding Ongoing at Special Criminal Court
Media professionals have been called upon to abstain from publications on the legal procedures regarding the management of COVID19 funds currently ongoing at the Special Criminal Court.
The Minister of Communication, Rene Emmanuel Sadi in a press release highlighted that the Head of State has instructed a judicial investigation on the use funds disbursed to handle the effect health crisis and the proceedings are ongoing at the Special Criminal Court.
According to the release, finances were made available to different ministries on the Instructions of the Head of State to cushion the consequences of the pandemic on different sectors of the country.
A decree by the Prime Minister – Head of Government officialised the repartition of the funds. In this regard, a number of government Administrations were allocated funding to accomplish precise missions that were inscribed in the programme.
Members of government and other personalities were subsequently called upon to render account of their spending of the funds before competent institutions including the Supreme State Audit and the Audit Bench of the Supreme Court.
The investigations carried out by services in charge of management control resulted in the production of reports on the bases for which the Head of State instructed a judicial investigation which is ongoing at the Special Criminal Court.
The Minister of Communication explained that the procedure is normal and at this stage the principle of presumption of innocence is upheld. He castigated as unwarranted media publications on process as well as popular verdict observed in the country.
He said the government deplores the situation and calls for restrain and a sense of responsibility. He warned against hasty conclusions of unjustified condemning of members of government and other personalities who have been called upon to take part in the exercise while that court has not yet passed its verdict establishing their guilty or not.
The Minister insisted that the Cameroon is a state of law and the legal procedure have to be respected by all citizens.
The procedure for the evaluation of the use of the funds allocated to the fight against COVID19 pandemic is continuing serenely in respect of the rules and procedure guiding the search for veracity and establishment of responsibility, he added.
The government has calls on citizens to remain confident in the Cameroon justice system which will eventually establish responsibilities while ensuring the respect of the laws and the dignity of the persons concerned.
