Operation Sparrow Hawk: Former CRTV Boss, Ahmadou Vamoulke, Slammed 32 Years For Alleged Embezzlement Of 116 million FCFA

Vamoulke, his lawyers, supporters and sympathizers say his case is political

The former General Manager of the State owned Cameroon Radio Television, CRTV,  Ahmadou Vamoulke, was on August 28, 2024  slammed another heavy jail term for alleged embezzlement of funds, by the Special Criminal Court in the nation’s capital, Yaounde. Vamoulke was arrested in the name of the so called campaign or operation that President Biya launched close to 20 years ago to fight corruption, especially the embezzlement of public funds. The Operation was dubbed “Operation Epervier’ in French, and Operation Sparrow Hawk in English.

Vamoulke was sacked as General Manager of CRTV in 2016, arrested and put on pre-trial detention at   the Yaounde Central Prison commonly known as Kondengui Prison, for alleged embezzlement of funds. He was first sentenced to 12 years imprisonment in December 2022 by the Special Criminal Court, for alleged embezzlement of 45 million FCFA (Forty five million francs CFA).  The 74 year old Ahmadou Vamoulke was on Wednesday, August 28, 2024, slammed another long imprisonment term, 20 years, by the same Special Criminal Court, for the alleged embezzlement of 71 million FCFA (Seventy –one million francs CFA.)  This leaves Ahmadou Vamoulke with the total imprisonment term 32 years for alleged embezzlement of a total of 116 million FCFA.

 Controversial Operation Sparrow Hawk  

It should be noted that Amadou Vamoulke’s imprisonment for alleged embezzlement of funds, is a complicated issue. He and his lawyers, supporters and sympathizers have all along not only insisted that he did not embezzle funds, but have also insisted that his imprisonment is political. Also, quite a number of people have come out to say that Vamoulke did not embezzle public funds.  Even some local and international organizations have criticized the charges of embezzlement of public funds leveled against Ahmadou Vamoulke, and well as his poor treatment in detention  qualified as the violation of human rights. One of Vamoulke’s lawyers, Madam Alice Nkom, who is currently the longest serving lawyer in Cameroon, says Vamoulke’s case is a clear indication that President Biya’s   Operation Sparrow Hawk in some cases is used to settle scores or to victimize some people.

However the Special Criminal Court and State prosecutors insist that Vamoulke actually embezzled public funds. Whatever the case, Vamoulke’s lawyers have indicated that an appeal will be filed at the Supreme Court in Yaounde, against the rulings of the Special Criminal Court.

Lowest Amount Of Money Allegedly Embezzled, Long Imprisonment Terms

Meanwhile the amount of money that the former CRTV Boss,  Ahmadou Vamoulke, is alleged to have embezzled, is  the lowest amount that a high profile person  has been caught by the Operation Sparrow Hawk, since it launched close to 20 year ago. The amount of money allegedly stolen by former members of Government as well as former General Managers of State corporations and State owned companies, that have been caught for alleged embezzlement of public funds have always been in billions of francs CFA. Vamoulke’s case is apparently the first case of a high profile detainee who is accused to have allegedly stolen such a comparatively low or tiny amount. That is, 116 million FCFA.

But the irony is that the imprisonment terms slammed on Vamoulke by the Special Criminal Court, that is 32 years, is far much higher than the sentences that the court slams on those accused to have stolen billions of francs CFA. It looks like the situation of the less you steal, the higher your imprisonment term, and vice versa.

 Vamoulke Is A Patient

It would also be recalled that after Vamoulke’s arrest, it took as long as four years for the case against him to start at the Special Criminal Court. This led to strong public criticisms and suspicions. There were those who thought that Vamoulke was arrested for alleged embezzlement of funds, before the State prosecutors started searching for incriminating evidences against him.

It should also be noted that Ahmadou Vamoulke who is a journalist by training, is a patient, and a times his health situation gets very bad. There have been repeatedly appeals for the Government to let Vamoulke be evacuated for treatment abroad, but the authorization has never been granted.