Douala-based freelance journalist Njoka Kingsley, arbitrarily arrested from his house in Douala on May 15, 2020 by a group of unidentified armed men, has been charged by the Yaounde Military court with “carrying out acts of terrorism and complicity in smuggling of arms”.
The journalist is said to be helping in carrying out secessionist activities in the guise of the work he does. Kingsley was taken from his house and kept for close to one month in detention without informing his family or his colleagues where he was taken to or why he was arrested.
It took serious pressure from the media following the death announcement of Samuel Wazizi, for Kingsley to be finally found at SED Yaounde. He has now been officially charged by the military tribunal.
It has become almost normal for journalists in Cameroon to be arrested and charged with terrorism or supporting them. The same thing was said of the late Samuel Wazizi, who was illegally taken to Yaounde by the military on account of being a logistics officer for the separatist fighters. He was later on tortured to death without even been given the chance to appear in court. It can almost be sure the same could have been of Kingsley Njoka had the pressure not been put.
Seeing the gravity of the charges levied against the freelance journalist Kingsley, the military court ordered on June 12 that Kingsley Njoka will be kept in jail for a period of six months while awaiting trial. The one month kept without being charged officially does not count and would be considered as time lost.
Having witnessed the crooked justice system of Cameroon, we can only pray this does not become the beginning of another long drama of frustrating case adjournments as has been the case with Paul Chouta.
Mimi Mefo Info
