Wilson Nuyila Tita, a US citizen of Cameroonian origin has been slammed with a 63-month jail term in federal prison by a US court.
U.S. District Judge Richard D. Bennett, April 5, 2023, sentenced Wilson Nuyila Tita to 63 months in federal prison for transporting and smuggling firearms and ammunition from the United States to aid separatists fighting for an independent English-speaking state from the French-dominated Republic of Cameroon.
Wilson Tita, age 47, was found guilty of those charges on May 6, 2022, along with co-defendants Eric Fru Nji (42) and Wilson Che Fonguh (41) after a two-week trial.
Eric Fru Nji was earlier sentenced to a five-year jail term on March 21.
In handing down the sentence, the court relied on the evidence before it said, “…………. these weapons were trafficked through neighboring Nigeria before being handed over to separatists fighting government forces in the North West and South West regions of Cameroon between November 2017 and July 2019.”
The judge added that ” Tita and his co-conspirators raised funds for the purchase of firearms, ammunition, reloading materials, and other equipment for shipment overseas to separatists fighting the government of Cameroon,”
It should be noted that several diaspora militants in the United States of America have been facing the US justice system lately over illegal arms dealings.
While some have been sentenced to jail terms, the fate of a majority hangs on a scale as multiple charges pile up against them.
The government of Cameroon has been advocating for countries hosting separatist Ambazonia leaders to repatriate them to Cameroon for trial, a call that to date has been largely ignored.
By David Atangana
