Soldiers, Gendarmes, and Police Dragged to Court for Alleged Torture, Extortion in Buea

Several soldiers, gendarmes and police officers are set to appear in court in Buea over allegations of torture and extortion involving a sum of 400,000 FCFA from a civilian.

The revelation was made by Christopher Tambe Tiku, head of the South West branch of the Cameroon National Commission on Human Rights. He spoke on Wednesday, April 16, in a video circulating on social media.

According to Tambe Tiku, the young man who filed the complaint was tortured by security forces at a mixed control post around Bitwingi, just meters from the Molyko Omnisport Stadium checkpoint in Buea.

How it started

Tambe explained that on April 10, the complainant had gone to watch a football match around the Biaka University area. On his way back, he was stopped by security personnel who demanded his ID card.

“He removed the ID card and showed them; they were still not satisfied. One of them identified him and said he was the one who called the state counsel to retrieve a laptop they had seized from him. Immediately, the others accused him of being Amba,” Tambe said.

The young man denied the accusations, explaining that he had lived in the area for over two years. However, the officers were not convinced. Tambe said the gendarmes and military personnel then left their control post and went to the young man’s house, where they met his younger brother.

They asked for his wife, who was reportedly away in Douala.

“They ransacked the whole house. We have got footage as evidence of what happened that night,” Tambe stated.

During the search, the officers discovered money in the house. They took the complainant back to their post, stripped him naked, and subjected him to severe torture.

“All the officers were involved in the act,” Tambe affirmed.

Taken to the bank to withdraw money

After the torture, the combined forces of gendarmes and police hired a taxi and took the victim to his bank to withdraw money.

At the bank, the transaction failed because he had entered the wrong PIN.

“They brought him back and asked his friends to contribute money. They contacted his friends, who sent 250,000 FCFA. He had 150,000 FCFA on his phone. Altogether, they collected 400,000 FCFA and went and shared the money,” Tambe said.

He added that the officers even forced the victim to pay for the taxi they had hired.

Officers return the money

The following day, the complainant obtained a medical certificate, which Tambe displayed in the video. He then filed a formal complaint with the Human Rights Commission.

According to Tambe, an investigation was launched, and two officers who were on duty that night were identified. The head of the unit also gathered all officers present at the time of the incident and brought them to the Human Rights office.

“When they got to my office, they accepted carrying out the acts of torture and extortion,” Tambe revealed.

The officers initially proposed to refund part of the money, citing that some colleagues who received a share were no longer at the station.

“I said no. You either pay the full amount, or I take action against you people,” Tambe recounted.

On April 11, the officers returned and repaid the full amount. Tambe again displayed the money, stating it would be presented in court as evidence.

“As an office, we are filing a formal complaint with the legal department so that legal actions can be taken against all the officers involved in this illegality,” he said.

Tambe stressed that this was not the first time his office had addressed such cases. However, security personnel continue committing these acts, hoping that refunding the money will absolve them.

“We can’t continue in this type of appalling situation. It is disturbing that people are treated in such an inhuman and degrading manner—forced to transfer money from their phones to officers who are supposed to protect them,” he said.

Tambe expressed hope that, with the available evidence, the officers involved will be prosecuted and jailed.

Mimi Mefo Info