The Mayor of Idabato Council in the Ndian Division of the Southwest region, Etongo Efange Edem, has been detained in Buea for close to two months.
The Gendarmerie legion, as we learnt, arrested and detained him in connection with the kidnapping of the Divisional Officer of Idabato, Ewane Roland.
As of now, the case is still pending preliminary investigation. The mayor was taken into gendarmerie custody in November.
As we learnt, his phone and belongings have been taken as the investigation is unfolding.
Authorities are probing him as a suspect in the kidnapping of D.O. Ewane Roland, who has been in captivity for over two months now.
A certain Nigerian pirate group known as Enjor abducted the D.O. and another council worker on October 1. After a month, they demanded over a billion and the release of colleagues detained at Buea Central Prison.
Ndian Mayors Plead for Edem’s Release
MMI has learnt that some mayors of the Ndian Division came to Buea, where Etongo Efange Edem is being detained. They pleaded for his release. That yielded no fruits.
It appears the case is very critical. Since the preliminary investigation has not been concluded, it is difficult to free him.
The Mayor of Idabato was arrested following the outing of the Southwest Governor to Ndian, who promised to find out those responsible. Governor Okalia Bilai, while in Idabato, said the Nigerian community, which makes up 95 percent, were accomplices.
According to him, Ewane was compelling Nigerian business people to pay taxes and stop illegal activities there. As such, he was kidnapped. The Governor later gave a 72-hour ultimatum for his release, but that was not respected.
Minister Says Idabato Mayor Benefits from Presumption of Innocence.
During the December parliamentary session, an MP for Ndian Constituency, Ngalle Daniel EEtongo, questioned why Mayor Edem was still being held in detention.
The MP was also questioning what the government was doing to ensure the security of D.Os. That is because another D.O. from Batibo had been kidnapped and was later killed.
Regarding the situation in Idabato, the Minister of Territorial Administration, Paul Atanga Nji, said everyone benefits from the presumption of innocence.
“We don’t interfere in judicial matters. But you made one point clear: they took his telephone and other belongings to investigate if he is directly concerned with the abduction of D.O.” Minister Paul Atanga Nji said.
“I made it clear that any person who is arrested benefits from the pretence of innocence until we prove him guilty,” he added.
To Minister Atanga, the mayor could be granted bail. But that would be the decision of the judiciary when the preliminary investigation must have concluded.
