Former Cameroun Prime Minister Ephraim Inoni has resurfaced in France after images circulated online allegedly showing him shopping at a Carrefour supermarket in the upscale Auteuil district of Paris’ 16th arrondissement. The photographs have reignited public debate over the fate of senior officials convicted of corruption in Cameroun and later transferred abroad on medical grounds.
The images, widely shared on social media this week, appear to show the former Head of Government calmly purchasing groceries in a supermarket. Although the exact date the photographs were taken has not been independently verified, they have generated widespread reactions among Cameroonians and Ambazonians alike, with many questioning whether Inoni’s health condition still justifies his prolonged stay abroad.
Inoni was one of the most powerful figures in the Yaoundé regime before his dramatic fall from grace. He served as Prime Minister between 2004 and 2009 under President Paul Biya. In 2013, the Special Criminal Court convicted him over the embezzlement of public funds linked to the failed purchase of a presidential aircraft, commonly referred to as the “Albatross Affair.” He received a 20-year prison sentence after being found guilty of misappropriating billions of CFA francs.
Years into his imprisonment, the former Prime Minister was granted permission to leave Cameroun for medical treatment in France. Since then, little official information has been released regarding his medical condition, fueling repeated speculation over his status and whether he remains under any form of judicial supervision.
The latest photographs have revived criticism of what many describe as selective justice within the Yaoundé regime. Critics argue that while ordinary citizens remain incarcerated under harsh conditions, politically connected officials often secure medical evacuations that effectively become prolonged stays abroad.
By Lucas Muma – BaretaNews
