The Greek company which is specialized in mining was convicted for dangerous activities and the manslaughter of a 12-year-old child in Batouri, East Region of Cameroon by the court of first instance.
The 12-year-old child, Samba Sosthené died after drowning in a pit that had been dug by the mining company.
This pit, dug some months back, was never refilled, causing it to accumulate a mass of water over time. The company has been ordered to pay a fine of 500,000 FCFA to the family of deceased Simba Sosthené as well as for damages set at FCFA 2
million.
Legal assistance provided to the family of the deceased by the Forêts et Developement Rurale (FODER) maintained that the fine paid by the mining company will never be enough to bring back little Samba but that it could act as a check to other companies engaged in dangerous and life threatening activities to remain careful.
The legal team also insinuated that it was an open call for victims of abandoned and neglected activities by these mining companies in Batouri to go and claim their rights.
Source: Cameroon-info.net