Financial Investigations and Asset Recovery Training in Cameroon (January 2012)

Pursuant to the International Centre for Asset Recovery (ICAR) scoping mission held in Cameroon from 19 to 22 September 2011 and its findings, Experts from ICAR were invited by the Cameroon Ministry of Justice to conduct a five-day country specific training programme in respect of financial investigation and asset recovery. This took place in Kribi during the period 9 – 13 January 2012 through the mutual co-operation of the ICAR and the Cameroon Ministry of Justice.

The recovery of illicit assets and the proceeds of crime is a major element in a country’s struggle against money laundering and predicate offences such as corruption. Integrated financial investigation is an essential element of any strategy for targeting proceeds from crime. The investigative process is the core activity, forming the basis for any asset recovery effort which (particularly at an international level) involves an overlapping of anti-corruption, anti-money laundering and broader law enforcement agendas.

The purpose of the Cameroon training programme was to provide training to key law enforcement agencies in the tracing and recovery of stolen assets, more particularly in respect of cases involving money laundering and related predicate offences such as corruption. It also covered aspects relevant to co-operation with foreign jurisdictions, specifically Switzerland in repatriating assets stashed abroad. The programme was attended by twenty five (25) participants, included investigators (judicial police, Audit authority, and securities authority), prosecutors from the State Attorney’s Office, judges, representatives of the Cameroon Financial Investigation Unit (ANIF), the National Anti-Corruption Commission (CONAC), the Ministry of Justice and the Office of the President.

The centrepiece of the programme was a 5 day “hands on” practical exercise in which the participants actually investigated a simulated case with 50-70 pieces of documentary evidence. The exercise was created for Israel incorporating its criminal statutes, commercial and banking records and enforcement procedures. It took the participants through numerous financial transactions specifically designed to conceal and disguise the source, location, and ownership of illegal proceeds.

It would be worth mentioning that a significant point a part from the training programme in Cameroon was the case consultancy meetings with prosecutors and investigative judges working on the cases which involved MLA with Switzerland. Mr Rudolf Wyss, Senior ICAR Asset Recovery expert (until December 2011, Deputy Director of the Swiss Federal Office of Justice) conducted meetings in order to assist Cameroon in specific cases.

The Swiss Ambassador to Cameroon and representatives of the Cameroon Ministry of Justice attended the opening ceremony. The training was fully funded by ICAR.