Theft of 561 million:

Thieves make fortune in Mama Fouda’s home

The theft on 14 June 2016 of more than half a billion FCFA in Minister Mama Fouda’s residence was only the tip of an iceberg. Before and after he succeeded the jailed UrbainOlanguenaAwono as Health minister, he had repeatedly been victimized in a similar way, allegedly by those he employed to work in the house.

By EssanEkoninyam in Yaounde

For the umpteenth time, men of the underworld have visited the home of the minister of Public Health, situated at Obobogo in the Yaounde III sub-division. This latest visit, The Median learned, took place on the night of Tuesday, 14 June 2016 while André Mama Fouda was away in Europe.

Armed to the teeth, the robbers got into the villa through the backdoor, an indication that somehow, they had an idea of what the residence looks like. They got there in the absence of the gendarme officer who habitually guarded the house; he had suspiciously gone for a walk at the roadside.

                We were told that the civilian guard of the villa was neutralized; the thieves bound him hand and foot before proceeding to ransack the house, carting away hundreds of millions of FCFA that was lodged in the minister’s home safe and other valuable objects. Sources say Mrs. Mama Fouda talks of 270 million FCFA whereas her husband is said to have confided in a close one that before travelling abroad, he left a whopping 561 million FCFA in the safe.

                The Median further learned that two posh cars belonging to the minister which were parked in front of the main building could however not be taken away because of their sophisticated security system.

                The forces of law and order who were alerted by other inhabitants of the house reportedly came to the scene long after the brigands had disappeared in thin air. Nevertheless, their presence and alarm raised in the minister’s residence are reported to have stirred none of the minister’s neighbours at Obobogo, as they remained indifferent to what had happened. The reason: the minister maintains a less-than-cordial relationship with them. Hardly has he ever uttered a word to any of them let alone shared anything with them, be it money, food or any goody, as some other state barons do.

Suspects, burglary history

                Our sources told us that fingers of accusation are being directed at Mama Fouda’s sister-in-law, his cook and the gendarme officer who was nowhere to be found at the time of the burglary. These persons are believed to have plotted the coup that culminated in the theft. “How could the gendarme explain the fact that he went for a stroll only when the thieves came and stayed away throughout their operation?” investigators have been asking themselves.

                There was a similar case of theft in Minister Mama Fouda’s house on 17 April 2015. While he was on mission in the West and North West regions of the country, armed robbers forced their way into his residence, neutralized the gardeners, cooks and guards and made away with his safe containing 350 million FCFA!

                Interestingly, another case of burglary like the one of last week occurred in the minister’s house on the same date last year, that is, 14 June 2016. When it did, rumours were rife that the money stolen was the totality of contributions made by the elite and living forces of Mfoundi division for the soldiers in the Far North fighting against Boko Haram as well as for populations in distress across the country.

                It should be recalled that in the distant past, even before Mama Fouda was still heading MAETUR, he had repeatedly fallen victim to the hands of thieves. For this reason, The Median was also informed, he lodged a complaint at the 3rd police district in Yaounde on 14 May 2012 against the different workers of his residence. 

                Police sources say on that occasion, Mama Fouda accused his house servant Jean Letni, his cook Audrey Moukolo, and his gardener Ernest Ndzié, of stealing 300 million FCFA which was hidden in bags in the house. On 28 May 2012, Jean Letni and his wife (who was no however a worker of the house) as well as Moukolo and Ndzié were detained.

During the enquiry that followed, the house of the Letni couple was searched and a bank booklet was found bearing the name of Mrs. Letni and showing that the sum of 22 million FCFA had been saved between 2010 and 2012. Besides, objects stolen in the minister’s house were found in the house of one of the detained persons.

                It was also revealed during the investigation that these workers who supposedly earn little were owners of villas, cars, shops, etc. The minister was obliged, thereafter, to seize a huge chunk of the money and a vehicle bought with the stolen money. However, one of the alleged thieves, we were informed, refused vehemently to retrocede two of his houses to the minster.

                To everyone’s surprise, the complainant, Mama Fouda, asked for the release of all the detainees on 6 June 2012. Then, as if that was not enough, he asked Mr. Letni, the principal accused who had a spare key to the minister’s bedroom, to resume service in his house!

Who says even Mama Fouda’s hands are not dirty?