Souza:
Gendarme accused of causing death of IDP Escapes Mob Justice

Timfuchi Aaron

An officer of the National Gendarmerie in Souza in the Littoral region accused of causing the death of a 29 -year-old Internally Displaced Person, IDP of the Anglophone crisis has survived mob justice.

The IDP was dismembered by a speedy truck as he struggled to escape from Gendarmerie officers of Nkapa in Souza around 1am Tuesday 22th March. The IDP hails from Fonfuka in the Boyo Division of the North West Region.

According to eyewitnesses, the 29-year-old whose name we got as Bawa Divine was being pursued by a Gendarme officer of Nkapa Gerdamerie for him to show his identification card. Bawa and his friend were drinking at a roadside joint after they had just returned from their usual daily work from a plantation company.

As they were drinking and playing the Chinese game of chance, some Gendarme officers of the Nkapa Gendarmerieie were on their routine night patrol checks when they stumbled on the group of eight guys drinking together with others.

They began checking ID cards but at the sight of the uniformed officers, Bawa and his friends took to their heels and the Gendarmes kept a steady and imposing speed behind them.

Bawa’s friends managed to dribble the Gendarmes and disappeared into the darkness. But unfortunately for Bawa who wanted to cross the road still followed by an angry Gendarme who was screaming “arrete”, he was crushed by a truck that was en route to Douala. He died on the spot.

At the sight of the 2- years-old’s dismembered body, some irate youths of Souza fell on the Gendarme like bees bashing him from all parts of his body and within few minutes, his face was disfigured.

Alerted about the tragic incident, his colleagues came to retaliate. The ugly scene ensuite for close to an hour until an additional team from the military headquarters in Bonanjo, Douala came for reinforcement.

Scenting how deadly the day was unfolding, the Divisional officer for Fiko Subdivision, Isaura Maxinme sent for the traditional ruler of all anglophones in Souza, Chief Toja Toja John popularly known in Souza as Pa John Mundani before tempers could be calmed.
Bawa’s corpse was later buried at the Souza cemetery while the said Gendarme was rushed to the Bonasama District Hospital in Douala where he is currently receiving treatment.