The Akroma File

Chapter Fifteen

91 The Akroma File Chapter Fifteen (Sunday , May 20th 1984) T he following day Dangobert went up to Commissaire Blanche Diamant, the Commissaire for Tightened Security. This was the branch of the security system specially designed to protect the Head of State. It was this department that uncovered plots against the Head of State. Diamant, a white man from Bordeaux in France, earned a salary of eight million francs per month for doing just that – smelling plots and crushing them in the buds, or inventing them where they were slow in coming. It was widely believed that though the 6th April coup had taken them all by surprise, it was Coçons’ timely intervention that helped foil it. He was about sixty with hair that grew thickly on his head, descending to just above his heavily lined forehead. He had a very long aquiline nose over his small and withdrawn mouth giving the impression that he had lost many of his front teeth. He wore a pair of old-fashioned goggles behind which glittered a pair of sharp blue eyes. Nobody knew how he got to be where he was because very few people associated him with much intelligence. Although he always insisted that all matters of security be referred to him first, he had never been known to make a suggestion that had not been countered by even the newest recruits. But he seemed to command a lot of respect from the powers above. 92 Linus T. Asong 2 W hen Dangobert took the Akroma file up to Diamant, the Commissaire told him confidently: “It is easy to tell that such a man is in Cameroon, you just leave it in my hands.” He knew that his was a most delicate job and did not think a black man was capable of suggesting anything to him. He hated taking advice, especially from a black man. Dangobert seemed to him far too meddlesome. He belonged to the Emi-Immigration, and not Tightened Internal Security. The very next day Commissaire Blanche Diamant made the vital move to track down Akroma. An announcement was made over the radio and television, inviting all foreigners, especially Ghanaians to report to the department of Internal Security with their resident permits and/or passports. At the end of the exercise Commissaire Diamant concluded: “That man left. All foreigners have been checked. He is not amongst them.” Dangobert felt disappointed. “Does the Commissaire think that if that man was in Cameroon, he would go and give himself up to the authorities?” Diamant did not answer. “So what do you want to see done?’ he asked at last. “We have to track him down.” “We who? I am here to uncover treason, to protect the head of state, not to track down mosquitoes. If you think you will do it, go right ahead.” This gave Inspector Dangobert the license to pursue the Akroma fugitive. 93 The Akroma File 3 O n returning from work on the Monday that Reverend Akwa was invited to be told that Akroma did not leave Cameroon, J-P went straight to Akroma’s hotel and warned: “Oga, trouble is coming. You must hide more more. They saw a letter you lost at the airport. They phoned Ghana. They now know that you did not go back. If they see you they shall kill me. So hide well well.” Akroma did not look as shocked as J-P had expected. He simply exhaled a very long breath, scratched his head several times, bit his lips and said calmly: “I will surely hide.” It was as though he had expected that all along. He, however, decided to cut down his daily movements. He then invited Severina to spend the next week with him. He had his vital belongings packed into a small brief case which he carried each time he left the hotel. These included a pair of underpants, a pair of socks, a singlette, two shirts and a small envelope containing his passport and I.D. cards. He did not care about anything else that he left behind him. ...