Financial Crime World

Cameroon Report: Observations on Implementation of Anti-Corruption Convention

YAOUNDE, CAMEROON - The Cameroonian government has made significant strides in implementing the United Nations Convention against Corruption (UNCAC), but there are still areas that require improvement.

Progress and Challenges

The report highlights several areas where Cameroon has made progress:

  • Considering adopting sentencing guidelines to ensure consistency in sentencing throughout the courts
  • Recommending regulating procedures for lifting immunities in appropriate cases, ensuring effective exercise of discretionary legal powers, and stipulating conditions for granting and revoking conditional release

However, there are still challenges that need to be addressed:

  • Expanding the scope of property subject to confiscation, including proceeds derived from Convention offenses and instrumentalities destined for use in the commission of offenses
  • Strengthening asset management functions and aligning legislation with UNCAC provisions
  • Protecting witnesses, experts, and victims from potential retaliation or intimidation
  • Entering into agreements or arrangements with other States for the relocation of such persons

The report notes that Cameroon has:

  • Bilateral extradition treaties with three countries
  • Signed several multilateral agreements on judicial cooperation
  • A Criminal Procedure Code (CPC) that provides for extradition, but does not have a general extradition act or mutual legal assistance act

However, Cameroon does not allow “accessory” extradition for connected offenses, as laid down in Article 44 of UNCAC.

Technical Assistance Needs

The report identifies several areas where technical assistance is needed to improve implementation of UNCAC:

  • Support for data gathering systems
  • Capacity-building for law enforcement agencies

Additionally, the government has indicated a need for technical assistance for the implementation of Article 32 of UNCAC, which relates to protection from potential retaliation or intimidation for witnesses, experts, and victims.

Conclusion

While Cameroon has made progress in implementing UNCAC, there are still areas that require improvement to ensure effective implementation of the Convention. Addressing these challenges will help Cameroon strengthen its anti-corruption efforts and improve the overall fight against corruption.