Former presidential hopeful, Barrister Akere Muna, has expressed deep concern over the state of his country, Cameroon.
Muna took to X, formerly known as Twitter, to decry what he described as the government’s inhumane treatment of Marafa Hamidou Yaya, the erstwhile Minister of Territorial Administration.
Akere Muna’s outcry was prompted by a distressing communication from Marafa, who is reportedly facing blindness due to his dire prison conditions.
“It’s heartbreaking to see the inhumane treatment he’s enduring and now risking total blindness. Specialists urge urgent evacuation for treatment,” Muna wrote on his social media platform.
The barrister’s statement highlights the severity of Marafa’s condition and the urgent need for medical intervention.
“This plea comes from a faithful servant who tragically lost his wife while in jail without the opportunity to say goodbye. The suffering inflicted upon him is truly heartbreaking. We must question the agenda of those who take pride in inflicting such pain. Our nation is losing its soul,” Muna added.
Marafa Hamidou Yaya, who was jailed in 2011 on charges of embezzlement of state funds, has been a controversial figure.
Many human rights defenders have voiced suspicions that the charges against him were politically motivated.
These defenders argue that the true turning point in Marafa’s fate occurred in 2006 when he reportedly expressed to the then US Ambassador his ambition to one day lead Cameroon.
This conversation, recorded and later exposed by WikiLeaks, allegedly set off a chain of events leading to Marafa’s prosecution.
Following the WikiLeaks revelations, the Cameroonian government intensified its scrutiny of Marafa, culminating in his conviction and imprisonment.
Since then, Marafa’s incarceration has been marred by allegations of harsh treatment and neglect.
His current health crisis has only amplified concerns about his wellbeing and the broader implications for human rights within the country.
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