On November 21, 2016, local newscaster in Bamenda, Mancho Bibixy Tse (popularly known as Mancho BBC) staged a protest that would later be named “the Coffin Revolution”.
Standing in a coffin at the heart of Bamenda’s liberty square, Mancho decried the snail pace rate of development in the city. A thick crowd soon joined his protest that coincided with the start of the Anglophone teachers’ strike.
On January 19, 2017, Mancho was arrested and his charges included trying to use violence to demand a return to federalism and for not being in possession of his Identity card.
Mancho was tried alongside Barrister Nkongho Felix Agbor and Dr. Fontem Neba who led the outlawed Cameroon Anglophone Civil Society Consortium. While Mancho was later sentenced to 15 years in jail on terrorism related charges in 2018, Balla and Fontem were pardoned by an August 30, 2017 presidential decision.
Two years after his sentence, Mancho’s family is still paying the price. Yesterday Sunday May 24th,
still paying the price. Yesterday, Sunday May 24th, soldiers raided Mancho’s house and arrested his sister, Mancho Solange Bih after ransacking her room.
Reports say his 13-year old daughter was molested by the soldiers who failed to get his son. The boy’s whereabouts remains unknown. The forces of law and order are also said to have made away with all telephones they could lay hands on.
Government is yet to comment on the incident. Such raids however remain a common sight in the restive English Speaking regions.
Mimi Mefo Info
