Cameroon government rejects forged decree naming a vice‑president

On 12 June 2026 a man identified as Johann Adriel Sitchom Kuate delivered a sealed envelope to the Cameroon Radio Television (CRTV) headquarters in Yaoundé containing documents that appeared to be presidential decrees, one of which named him as the new vice‑president of the Republic. CRTV staff detected the forgery and did not broadcast the papers. The government later confirmed that the decree had never been signed by President Paul Biya, that the individual was not a member of the presidential staff, and that he has been placed in custody.

In a communiqué issued on 30 June 2026, Minister of Communication René Emmanuel Sadi reiterated that the appointment of a vice‑president remains the sole prerogative of the president, a role re‑introduced by the constitutional amendment of 14 April 2026. Analysts have described the incident as an “attempt at an institutional coup” and have noted heightened speculation about succession plans for the 93‑year‑old President Biya. Investigations into the suspect’s motives are ongoing.