CHRDA says attack on lawyer is attack on human rights

The Centre for Human Rights and Democracy in Africa, CHRDA has condemned an attack on a lawyer, Barrister Legenju Vitalis of Poubom and Partners law firm in Buea, by armed separatist fighters in Ekona.

“In the evening of Friday 30 April, 2021, about 10 members of the separatist armed group abducted Barrister Legenju Vitalis and another unarmed civilian in Muea, a locality in Buea Subdivision and shot him on his right foot,” a CHRDA statement read.

At the time of the lawyer’s abduction by separatist fighters, according to CHRDA, the gang leader asked him why they [lawyers and teachers) started the Anglophone struggle as lawyers and teachers and abandoned it half way.

“While he was still struggling to explain, he opened fire and shot him on his right foot. They then took him and his teacher friend in the car and started driving right far into the bush towards Ekona. On their way, the blood from his bullet wound was oozing out and he was bleeding profusely. The kidnappers realized that he was losing consciousness and they reversed the car and drove back to the main road where they dumped him by the road side and left with the car and the teacher,” the CHRDA statement narrates.

At press time, the whereabouts of the teacher abducted with the lawyer remained unknown.

Worthy of note is the fact that Barrister Legengju Vitalis is an active Human Rights Defender. He is the lead Counsel of CHRDA TASK FORCE for the defense of Anglophone detainees incarcerated in connection with the crisis in Cameroon,” stated CHRDA.

Condemning the abductions, CHRDA has urged leaders of the armed groups “… to investigate this incident and punish the perpetrators and ensure the immediate release of the teacher and for the return of the car seized”.

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