Buea Prison silent after three inmates electrocuted to death

By Amina Hilda

The Buea Central Prison administration has maintained a shroud of silence for over three weeks following the alleged electrocution of three inmates.

These individuals, reportedly on the brink of completing their prison terms, tragically lost their lives while preparing for a celebration within the prison premises.

Sources reveal that the ill-fated event unfolded as prisoners were erecting canopies and organizing the ceremonial ground for warders to mark the epaulet award ceremony in October.

A relative of the victims informed Cameroon News Agency (CNA) that a fatal mistake occurred during the process, leading to a rod inadvertently making contact with a low-hanging high-tensioned cable, electrocuting seven individuals.

Regrettably, three lost their lives on the spot, while two remained in critical condition on oxygen, and two others escaped with less severe injuries.

Bodies of the deceased inmates were deposited at the Buea Regional Hospital mogue while others who sustained injuries were treated at the same hospital.

A staff member from the Penitentiary of the South West, purportedly well-versed in the details of the incident, pointed the blame at ENEO, the sole electricity supply company in Cameroon.

According to the source, the prison administration had repeatedly drawn attention to the dangerously low-hanging high-tension cable near the prison premises, but ENEO allegedly failed to address the issue adequately.

“The administration has called to the attention of ENEO on several occasions but shown to react,” the staff member told CNA.

Following the incident, ENEO workers reportedly swarmed the scene to initiate corrective measures.

The conspicuous silence from the Buea Prison administration has raised suspicions among the public.

Many are questioning the institution’s responsibility to thoroughly investigate the incident and release a comprehensive statement to enlighten the public on the exact details of what transpired, including the precise number of casualties.

As concerns and speculations escalate, there is a growing demand for transparency and accountability from the prison authorities.

Inmates of the Buea Central Prison have died in the past but their deaths were shrouded in the administration’s silence.

Mimi Mefo Info