Cameroun DGSN: Police Fuel Theft Case Sent to Tribunal Criminel Spécial

• A fuel trafficking scandal within the Cameroonian police involves an estimated financial loss of 21 to 40 billion FCFA.
• Approximately 22.7 million liters of fuel, managed by SCDP and intended for police operations, were diverted to private use or the black market.
• Around 50 national security officials, including a Police Commissioner, have been referred to the Tribunal Criminel Spécial in Yaoundé.
• The DGSN's special investigation unit uncovered service order anomalies leading to 2 billion FCFA in fuel losses for the DGSN during the 2025-2026 budget period.
• The implicated officers are currently in police custody and undergoing further hearings by judicial police officers.

The ongoing DGSN fuel fraud investigation has successfully identified and apprehended senior figures within the police institution.

A significant scandal involving fuel trafficking has emerged within the Cameroonian police force, revealing a financial loss estimated to be between 21 and 40 billion FCFA. This elaborate scheme centered on the illicit and substantial withdrawal of fuel from the nation's strategic and security reserves, which are managed by the Société camerounaise des dépôts pétroliers (SCDP). Investigators have determined that approximately 22.7 million liters of fuel, originally designated for official police patrol vehicles and essential state missions, were instead diverted from their intended use.

According to testimonies from suspects involved in the DGSN fuel fraud investigation, the diverted fuel was channeled either to private properties or sold on the black market. This widespread corruption police Cameroun has led to a major crackdown, with authorities now pursuing legal action against numerous officials. The scale of the operation suggests a deeply entrenched system of illicit activity that has siphoned off critical resources intended for public safety and national security.

The ongoing DGSN fuel fraud investigation has successfully identified and apprehended senior figures within the police institution. As a result, around fifty national security officials have been formally referred to the Prosecutor General at the Tribunal Criminel Spécial (TCS) in Yaoundé, marking a critical step in the judicial process. This action follows an intensive inquiry initiated by the Special Investigation Unit operating under the Cabinet of the Delegate General for National Security (DGSN).

Members of this specialized unit, tasked with judicial and public security investigations, conducted extensive interrogations of the implicated police personnel. Initial probes by the DGSN, conducted roughly two months prior to these referrals, led to the arrest of 52 national security officials. Among those detained is a Police Commissioner, representing the highest-ranking officer implicated so far in this Cameroun police fuel theft Tribunal Criminel Spécial case. These alleged traffickers were subsequently placed in police custody at the Special Operations Group (GSO) in Mvan, Yaoundé, where they are undergoing further questioning by judicial police officers.

The financial repercussions of this extensive fuel diversion are substantial, with the estimated losses ranging from 21 to 40 billion FCFA. Beyond the overall figure, specific anomalies were identified by the DGSN's special investigation unit, acting on direct instructions from the police chief. Their findings revealed irregularities in the service order registers maintained by fuel depot personnel. These anomalies primarily involved the issuance of service orders for private purposes, rather than for official police operations.

This particular aspect of the fraud alone resulted in a loss of 2 billion FCFA worth of fuel for the DGSN during the 2025-2026 budget period. The discovery of such systemic issues underscores the depth of the corruption police Cameroun problem and the challenges in managing state resources. The Tribunal Criminel Spécial Yaoundé is now tasked with prosecuting these cases, which could set important precedents for future enforcement actions against public sector malfeasance, particularly concerning the FCFA 21-40 billion police fraud.

Lawyers and compliance officers should note the ongoing high-profile investigation and prosecution of police officials for fuel theft, indicating increased scrutiny and enforcement against public sector corruption in Cameroon. This case, handled by the Tribunal Criminel Spécial, sets a precedent for how large-scale public resource mismanagement cases will be pursued, potentially impacting compliance requirements for entities interacting with state-managed resources like SCDP.

Source: Original reporting via l'Indépendant on October 12, 2026