Civil society, rights groups wage legal battle for release of detained pregnant woman

Calls have multiplied for the release of Antoinette Kongsa, a pregnant woman harassed and detained incommunicado in Buea, South West Region.

Some lawyers led by Barrister Edward Lyonga Ewule have filed a habeas corpus, asking that the 8-month-pregnant woman be freed.

In the said document, he demanded that the court orders the respondents (the people of Cameroon, the Legion Commander Buea, and the Superintendent of the Buea Central Prison) to provide the arrested, “… For proper determination into the legality or otherwise of her arrest and detention.”

The legal mind also demanded “an order declaring illegal the arrest and continuous detention of Madam Antoinette Kongsa Gohda by the 2nd and 3rd respondents,” and “any other order that this court may deem fit and proper to make in the circumstances of this case.”

In an affidavit in support of the earlier application, another lawyer, Barrister Legenju Vitalise noted that those in the position of command have ignored all required legal processes.

“… Despite a plethora of demands made for her release, the respondents have woefully failed and persisted in their illegal activities to continue detaining her in defiance of the law,” he stated.

Among other reasons, granting their request, the lawyer stated, “will be in the interest of justice, equity and fairness…”

Antoinette Kongsa, it should be recalled, was arrested by Chief Ewome John Eko of Bwassa Village, fondly referred to as Moja Moja.

In a video shortly before her arrest, he claimed he was carrying out the act to get back at separatist leader No Pity combatting government forces in the North West Region.

“…. I have your wife and kids…, ” he yelled.

The lady in question remains in detention, despite being close to childbirth.

Many have likened her arrest and incommunicado detention to that of pressman Samuel Wazizi who was arrested and tortured to the point of death.

To date, the whereabouts of his corpse remain unknown.