Yesterday, Amadou Vamoulke was sentenced to 20 years in prison for embezzlement after 178 adjournments. This case remains a mystery to me. He was initially accused of embezzling 16 billion CFA francs, which astonishingly shrank to just 2 billion in the judgment. This amount actually represents unpaid debts owed to CRTV, dating back to his predecessor!

The company’s accountant, following standard practice, classified these unpaid invoices as bad debts—nothing to do with Vamoulke! Even the United Nations called for his release.
I know Amadou personally; when he joined CRTV, he cut his own salary and benefits and drastically reduced handouts to board members. His former colleague, Alain Massé, head of RFI, referred to him as “Mr. Clean of Public Media,” noting how he opted for 2-star hotels while others stayed in luxury accommodations.

I spoke with the former Chairman of the Independent Procurement Commission at CRTV, who praised Vamoulke’s transparency and integrity, stating he never involved himself in procurement issues. His recruitment process was also solid and transparent.

In addition to the UN’s stance, he has received support from numerous professional and human rights organizations across over 40 countries. I am both stunned and distressed by the destruction of a decent human being’s life, especially when, in the same country, corrupt individuals openly display billions obtained through bribes from the confessed corruptor-in-chief, Glencore.