Cameroon: Eight soldiers arrested for torturing man to near-death in Ndu

After outrage over a viral video of a man being tortured in Ndu, North West Region of Cameroon, the Ministry of Defence says it has arrested two gendarmes, two soldiers, and four police officers who masterminded the act.

In a release, the Ministry of Defence admitted that the man being tortured in the video was “assaulted and severely beaten by some elements of the Defence and Security Forces”.

“The scene took place in the afternoon of Thursday, 11 February 2021, in the locality of Ndu, Donga-Mantung Division, North-West Region,” it confirmed.

Following primary investigations, army spokesperson, Navy Captain Atonfack Guemo Cyrille Serge said the man being tortured, Jean Fai was “suspected to be a criminal relay and local terrorist”.

The perpetrators, he noted include “… two gendarmes, two soldiers, and four police officers. Those concerned were immediately taken into custody at the Ndu Territorial Gendarmerie Brigade, on instructions from the Minister Delegate at the Presidency in charge of Defence”.

“The disciplinary, administrative and judicial investigations prescribed by the High Command and opened by the local administrative authorities and the Defence and Security Forces, will help in determining the magnitude of these intolerable acts, which are in contradiction with the respect of the rules of engagement on the one hand, and on the other hand, the protection of human rights, which constitute cardinal principles to which the elements of the Defence and Security Forces are firmly bound,” Atonfack noted.

Despite the arrest, many have asked for the state to go beyond arresting the erring officers. Observers note that several cases of human rights violations go unnoticed. This one however drew attention given that the perpetrators recorded it.

Mimi Mefo Info