Incarceration of techpreneur:
Cameroonians express indignation, launch online campaign for her release

Cameroonian-born technology entrepreneur, Rebecca Enonchong has spent a second night behind bars at the Douala Gendarmerie Legion.
She is said to be incarcerated over ‘contempt of court’ following a supposed ligation concerning a family dispute.
Her incarceration has sparked widespread condemnation by Cameroonians from all walks of life.
Condemning what they consider ‘illegal’ detention, many have taken to different media platforms to vent their dismay and to clamour for her liberation.

They have launched a social media campaign calling for her release dubbed, “#FreeRebecca and #FreeRebeccaEnonchong.

According to Jules Nnoko, the circumstances of the detention of the 54-year-old icon is heartbreaking and disgraceful.

“It’s heartbreaking to see such a personality being detained without any warrant. I still wonder if we are in a State of law,” Nnoko wondered.

“Would this country not stop distancing itself from such disgraceful acts? There is no greater tyranny than that which is perpetrated under the shield of the law and in the name of justice,” he added.

For Denis Foretia, it is “simply insane that the Cameroon government has detained the one and only Rebecca Enonchong without any charges or an arrest warrant. She should be released immediately. This lawlessness needs to stop”.

To some Cameroonians, arresting the CEO of Appstech, one of the world’s leading enterprise application solution providers and co-founder of I/O Spaces, is simply an attempt by the authorities to reap off one of its best citizens.

“We are joking too much in this country. How long are we going to continue eating up our best products? What a shame, bemoaned Solomon.

Other Cameroonians go further to decry the fact that “this woman has done nothing than fight for the youths… an attack on her is an attack on the Cameroonian youths.”

Ndeh Rajur likens her arrest and incarceration to government’s crackdown on the leaders of the Anglophone Consortium in 2016 which eventually led to the escalation of the crisis in the English-speaking regions into an armed conflict.

“Repeating the same mistake they made in 2016 by arresting justice advocates was the worst blunder. Not realising it is foolishness… we ask for her immediate release,” she deplored.

Demands for the release of Enonchong, ranked amongst 50 most powerful women in Africa in 2020, have gone viral on Cameroon’s blogosphere and beyond.

She is laureate of several international awards. The Jeune Afrique Magazine named her as one of the most influential African women in the world in 2018, 2019 and 2020.

By Ringnwi Joy