Jean-Marie Atangana Mebara
Encyclopedia
Jean-Marie Atangana Mebara (born March 27, 1954) is a Cameroon
ian politician. He was Minister of Higher Education from December 1997 to August 2002, Minister of State and Secretary-General of the Presidency from August 2002 to September 2006, and Minister of State for Foreign Affairs
from September 2006 until he was dismissed from the government in a cabinet reshuffle on September 7, 2007.
He was a member of the National Committee for the coordination of President Paul Biya
's re-election campaign in the October 2004 presidential election
. His dismissal in September 2007 was said to have been linked to his reported desire to succeed Biya, in addition to Biya's disapproval of a communiqué issued as a retort to Western criticisms of the July 2007 parliamentary election
.
Mr. Mebara has been detained since AUGUST 2008 at the central prison of Yaoundé. He is accused of an "attempt" to embezzle 31 millions CFA. The accusation is based on a reply to a letter he received from the General Manager of Aircraft Portfolio Management - an international aviation consulting firm. In that letter, Mr. Mebara accepted the offer made to him by the General Manager to try and protect government funds that GIA has misappropriated and were illegitimately holding in their accounts to provide a presidential aircraft to the president of Cameroon. GIA was a shady company hired by Mr. Mebara's predecessor and purposely set up and controlled by Yves Michel Fotso - the ex-General Manager of Cameroon Airlines (who had a clear conflict of interest) to lease aircraft into Cameroon Airlines. GIA went bankrupt in 2004.
Contrary to public belief, Mr. Mebara was NOT involved in the purchase of a BBJ presidential aircraft which was consummated by his predecessor. The "Justice" in Cameroon is struggling to find any witnesses against him. Most people believe that he was arrested because he represented a potential threat to the re-election bid of the current Cameroon president. It is widely believed that President Biya is conducting a witch-hunt against all of his political opponents.
Mr. Mebara has suffered immense physiological and mental trauma since being held captive in prison on trumped-up corruption charges. Mr. Mebara is a devout christian and has the support of Cardinal Tumi an important person in the Cameroon christian hierarchy.
Cameroon
Cameroon, officially the Republic of Cameroon , is a country in west Central Africa. It is bordered by Nigeria to the west; Chad to the northeast; the Central African Republic to the east; and Equatorial Guinea, Gabon, and the Republic of the Congo to the south. Cameroon's coastline lies on the...
ian politician. He was Minister of Higher Education from December 1997 to August 2002, Minister of State and Secretary-General of the Presidency from August 2002 to September 2006, and Minister of State for Foreign Affairs
Foreign minister
A Minister of Foreign Affairs, or foreign minister, is a cabinet minister who helps form the foreign policy of a sovereign state. The foreign minister is often regarded as the most senior ministerial position below that of the head of government . It is often granted to the deputy prime minister in...
from September 2006 until he was dismissed from the government in a cabinet reshuffle on September 7, 2007.
He was a member of the National Committee for the coordination of President Paul Biya
Paul Biya
Paul Biya is a Cameroonian politician who has been the President of Cameroon since 6 November 1982. A native of Cameroon's south, Biya rose rapidly as a bureaucrat under President Ahmadou Ahidjo in the 1960s, serving as Secretary-General of the Presidency from 1968 to 1975 and then as Prime...
's re-election campaign in the October 2004 presidential election
Cameroonian presidential election, 2004
The 2004 Cameroonian presidential election took place in Cameroon on 11 October 2004. Incumbent President Paul Biya was easily re-elected in an election which the opposition claimed had seen widespread electoral fraud.-Background:...
. His dismissal in September 2007 was said to have been linked to his reported desire to succeed Biya, in addition to Biya's disapproval of a communiqué issued as a retort to Western criticisms of the July 2007 parliamentary election
Cameroonian parliamentary election, 2007
A parliamentary election was held in Cameroon on 22 July 2007, with some polls held again on 30 September 2007. 1,274 candidates stood for the 180 seats in the National Assembly, with 41 parties participating...
.
Mr. Mebara has been detained since AUGUST 2008 at the central prison of Yaoundé. He is accused of an "attempt" to embezzle 31 millions CFA. The accusation is based on a reply to a letter he received from the General Manager of Aircraft Portfolio Management - an international aviation consulting firm. In that letter, Mr. Mebara accepted the offer made to him by the General Manager to try and protect government funds that GIA has misappropriated and were illegitimately holding in their accounts to provide a presidential aircraft to the president of Cameroon. GIA was a shady company hired by Mr. Mebara's predecessor and purposely set up and controlled by Yves Michel Fotso - the ex-General Manager of Cameroon Airlines (who had a clear conflict of interest) to lease aircraft into Cameroon Airlines. GIA went bankrupt in 2004.
Contrary to public belief, Mr. Mebara was NOT involved in the purchase of a BBJ presidential aircraft which was consummated by his predecessor. The "Justice" in Cameroon is struggling to find any witnesses against him. Most people believe that he was arrested because he represented a potential threat to the re-election bid of the current Cameroon president. It is widely believed that President Biya is conducting a witch-hunt against all of his political opponents.
Mr. Mebara has suffered immense physiological and mental trauma since being held captive in prison on trumped-up corruption charges. Mr. Mebara is a devout christian and has the support of Cardinal Tumi an important person in the Cameroon christian hierarchy.