Abouem à Boull Serge Julien, 45, a Treasury Inspector and President of the Cameroon Volleyball Federation, is in trouble with the law. He appeared before the Yaounde-based Special Criminal Court, SCC, on Friday, October 7, 2016, on charges of embezzling 106 Million FCFA in 2014. He pleaded not guilty to the charges before a trial team led by Mr. Justice Nyoh Matthias.

According to the Committal Order, the offence was committed in 2014 when the female and male national volleyball teams were to participate in world championships in Italy and Poland. Fearing that delays in disbursement of public funds might hamper Cameroon’s participation in the tournaments, Abouem à Boull Serge Julien sought and got the consent of the Ministry of Sports and Physical Education, MINSEP, for a pre-financing deal with a partner.

Subsequently, the agreement was signed with Emergence Group on August 12, 2014 to enable the two teams prepare and then participate in the tournaments. Eric Wiydorla Binfon and Mpenekoul Yves-Vincent were designated on August 29, 2014, to manage the accounts by the Ministry of Finance, MINFI, with the consent of MINSEP. Emergence later wired 178 Million FCFA into Fecavolley’s account for pretournament preparations – beginning with 118 Million FCFA on August 28, 2014, to the Male Volleyball National Team, and 60 Million FCFA on October 3, 2014, to the Female Volleyball National Team.

The 178 Million FCFA was to be reimbursed to Emergence by the Volleyball Federation upon the payment of the State subvention, it was agreed. Though Abouem on December 12, 2014, informed MINSEP that he paid back Emergence’s debt, some discrepancies were later discovered in the management of the funds. Thus, the accused was charged with embezzling 106 Million FCFA, punishable under Articles 74 and 184 of the Penal Code. The matter was adjourned to October 31, 2016, for the defence to submit the list of its witnesses.

culled from Cameroon Tribune