The Littoral Court of Appeal has ordered the restitution of assets belonging to businessman Gabriel Kondo Ebelle, which were previously seized by the Société de recouvrement des créances (SRC), a debt recovery company. This decision follows a case between the businessman and the State of Cameroon.
In a hearing on February 26, 2026, Judge Adama Moussa Epse Domche annulled the payment order dated April 12, 2024, which had initially authorized the seizure and auction of Kondo Ebelle's assets. The judge based her decision on the fact that the payment order did not mention the references of the summons without costs, a procedural irregularity.
This annulment compels the SRC to return the seized assets, acting on behalf of the Cameroonian State and under a mandate from the Union Bank of Cameroon (UBC). The State has held 54% of UBC's capital since Ecobank Cameroon's withdrawal in 2021. The SRC's action aimed to recover funds owed by Gabriel Kondo Ebelle, jointly with the company PACK INDUSTRY S.A.
In June 2025, the SRC had announced the auction of Kondo Ebelle's assets, including luxury vehicles such as a Toyota Land Cruiser (priced at 61,547,000 FCFA), a Mercedes Maybach (119,000,000 FCFA) and a Rolls Royce. However, the judge of the Bonanjo Court of First Instance had ordered the suspension of this sale, pending the conclusion of the proceedings before the judge of the execution dispute.
The decision of the Littoral Court of Appeal on February 26, 2026, means that the SRC must return these assets to Gabriel Kondo Ebelle, under penalty of a fine of one million FCFA per day of delay. This case highlights the complexities of debt recovery procedures in Cameroon and the possible remedies for debtors.
