Cameroon's former Defense Minister Edgard Alain Mebe Ngo'o has been remanded in prison on corruption charges tied to a military equipment procurement scandal, according to a ruling by the Special Criminal Court in Yaoundé.
The court ordered Mebe Ngo'o's detention at Kondengui Maximum Security Prison as investigations continue into allegations of bribery and embezzlement involving the purchase of military gear from Magforce, a supplier of defense equipment and vehicles.
Mebe Ngo'o, who had previously been prohibited from leaving the country, appeared at the court for his second hearing in under a month. Witnesses reported he was visibly emotional as he was escorted to prison. Alongside him, two senior military officers and a bank executive were also remanded for their alleged roles in the case.
The 2011 law establishing the Special Criminal Court mandates that it handles public fund embezzlement cases exceeding $86,000 (FCFA50 million). While the exact financial amount in this case remains undisclosed, the court's jurisdictional threshold underscores the severity of the allegations.
Mebe Ngo'o's wife, Bernadette Mebe Ngo'o, and their two sons are also under investigation. They were scheduled to appear before a prosecutor at the court later in the week. The 62-year-old former official, who served as National Security Delegate from 2009 to 2014 and Defense Minister until 2015, has been out of government since his 2017 removal.
He joins a growing list of former officials detained at Kondengui Prison, where multiple ex-ministers and military leaders face charges related to financial misconduct.
