Former Cameroonian Defense Minister Edgar Alain Mebe Ngoo received a 30-year prison term from the country’s Special Criminal Court on Thursday, February 2, after being found guilty of embezzling more than 38 million dollars. The verdict reflects a high‑profile corruption case that drew national attention to misused public funds and accountability within the government ranks.
According to the reporting outlet, Ngoo’s wife, Bernadette, was also condemned to prison. She was adjudged to have embezzled approximately eight million dollars and received a 10-year sentence. The court ordered the seizure of assets linked to both spouses, including 53 properties, 21 bank accounts, 39 vehicles, and more than half a million dollars in cash, underscoring the breadth of the financial offenses alleged in the case.
In addition to the former minister and his wife, the court found several close associates guilty of embezzlement involving public funds. Colonel Eli Mbutu and Maxime Leonard Mbange, a former Treasury Inspector and adviser to the Defense Department, were each handed 25-year sentences, signaling a joint effort to tackle corruption within the state apparatus and to deter future misconduct among officials and their networks.
Another individual connected to the probe, Victor Meunier, who previously served as deputy chief executive of SCB bank, was convicted of complicity in money laundering and received a nine-year prison term. The sentencing highlights an extensive, multi‑agency investigation aimed at dismantling schemes that used government channels and financial institutions to funnel public money for private gain.
Ngoo and his wife entered the proceedings denying their guilt, and their legal team indicated plans to appeal the convictions before Cameroon’s Supreme Court, signaling that the case may continue through the judicial system for some time as higher courts review the evidence and legal arguments presented at trial.
In a separate but related update on public corruption, reports referenced Ukraine’s Deputy Defense Minister Oleksandr Mironyuk, who was described as finding a substantial sum during an internal inquiry. It was noted that approximately one million dollars remained unaccounted for after the deputy minister discovered a reserve of money within a residence, prompting ongoing scrutiny of how defense procurement funds were managed and monitored within the ministry and affiliated entities.
The unfolding cases in both Cameroon and Ukraine illustrate ongoing efforts by national authorities to address embezzlement and related financial crimes that involve high‑level officials, government contractors, and financial institutions. They also reflect the broader commitment to increasing transparency, strengthening oversight, and restoring public trust in institutions that are responsible for defending national security and managing public resources responsibly.