Military Rule or Anarchy? Soldiers send complainant, ‘amba’ suspects to prison for failing to pay FCFA 800, 000 ‘bribe’

In what may now be the reign of anarchy or albeit military rule in Cameroon’s North West and South West Regions, soldiers have been seizing every opportunity to enrich themselves while locals bleed.

On yet another case of military brutality and unlawful arrests in the Anglophone regions, three male Anglophones have been sent to the New Bell prison in Douala by the military.

As per reports, two of the three detainees, Kechanyi Joel and Kenye Elvis were arrested six weeks ago by the military after a complaint was filed against the pair by the third detainee Mr. Toscha.

The complaint filed by Mr. Toscha amongst others stated that in 2018, while on his way to bury his father, a group of armed-to-the-teeth separatists stopped their convoy and demanded a ransom for the corpse they were going to bury.

According to their lawyer, Barrister Tamfu Richard, the complaint’s statement reveals that one of the boys amongst the separatist fighters was Elvis Kenyene.

“No further information was provided by the complaint submitted. The second detainee, Kachanyi Joel who happens to be Mr. Toscha’s nephew was equally reported by the latter for moving with ex-separatist fighters,” Barrister Tamfu writes to MMI.

While the two accused were being detained and investigations carried out by the military, a condition was put forth by the soldiers to both the complainant and the suspects to hand in an amount of FCFA 800,000 or else be sent to the New Bell prison in Douala.

Unable to provide the sum as the military had demanded, the suspects alongside the complainant were all whisked off to the New Bell prison as promised by the military.

This case once again shows the extent to which the Cameroon defence forces will go to make money as they impose terror on the population. These are Forces that the government has continuously described as being a professional army.

But one does not need to have expertise in rocket science to see how they are heavily questionable in terms of the inhumane treatment they give to the same citizens they have a mandate to protect.

Mimi Mefo Info