Security officials indicted for accepting bribes to ‘free’ quarantined passengers in Douala

A week ago, Cameroon’s Prime Minister Joseph Dion Ngute held a crisis meeting on the management of the coronavirus pandemic.

At the end of the session, the PM read out 13 measures that were to be taken to limit the spread of the virus including the shutting down of all land, air and sea borders.

Consequently, all passenger flights from abroad were suspended with the exception of cargo flights and vessels transporting consumer products and essential goods and materials whose stop over time will be limited and supervised.

Passengers on the last flight that came in from France were quarantined in hotels in Douala, to prevent further spread of the virus.

Barely one week after however, many of them have reportedly escaped quarantine, many with the help of officials put in place to monitor them.

Talking to MMI a day into their quarantine period, one of the passengers revealed that she escaped through the airport toilet.

Days later, many more have been left to go after offering financial compensations ranging from hundreds of thousands to even a million FCFA (over 1,600 US dollars) to those in charge MMI has been reliably informed.

Many had in the first days of their quarantine period decried the living conditions, noting that not only were the hotel rooms not up to standards, but their living and feeding conditions were neglected by staff set to cater for them.

While the minister of health keeps giving updates on the number of cases, many have resorted to questioning why the state has chosen to remain quiet regarding the passengers.

According to official figures, Cameroon now has 66 cases of the virus.

Image: web

MMI