(Business in Cameroon) - In a published commentary in the independent Malian newspaper on July 22, 2014 and taken-up by malijet.com, Djiguiba Kéïta, The Secretary General for Parti pour la renaissance nationale (Party for National Rebirth) (PARENA), the Malian opposition, reveals that “it is claimed that it is the PMU of Cameroon which pays the bills of a French company, which watches over the security of the President of Mali,” Ibrahim Boubacar Keïta, affecytionately called IBK.

“Where is Mali’s honour?” asks the leader of the Malian opposition, speaking out against the reports between the Head of State of Mali and Michel Tomi (photo), a French business man presented as “king of the gambling industry in Africa”  and who is now battling with the French courts for alleged breaches of the law.

Founder of the Pari mutuel urbain (PMU), an economic interest group specialised in horse race betting that has 57 companies worldwide, including one in Cameroon (PMUC), Michel Tomi, was formally charged on June 20, 2014 in France.

According to various media in his country, the king of the gambling industry in Africa was first accused of money laundering, tax fraud and misuse of public funds before the French justice department is broadening its investigation to include corruption charges related to foreign public funds in relation to the Corsican businessman’s ties deemed to be too close to the Malian leader.

Questioned last May by the pan-African weekly, Jeune Afrique, on his relationship with Michel Tomi, IBK introduced him as “as a brother” noted the PARENA’s Secretary General, in the above-mentioned publication that, “someone will have to explain to me how you can corrupt a president who earns more than you do,” stated Michel Tomi, last June, discussing the topic in Le Point.

BRM