Several families have been rendered desperate after HEVECAM laid off more than 1,000 workers last week.
Family members of a certain Ambe Godfrey, an assistant surgeon at the institution’s health facility say the action is partly to blame for his detention.
Arrested and held at the Kribi-Niete Gendarmerie on accusations of harassing minors, a nephew to Mr Godfrey says he believes his uncle was set up.
“His neighbours who were victims of the lay off of workers by the company plotted and lodged a false complaint against him, telling the gendarmerie commander that he had been sexually harassing kids in the said camp.”
“What the neighbours wanted is that Mr. Ambe should equally be removed from the company like them.”
He also says Godfrey who is also a father has been held incommunicado since his arrest, a violation of his rights: “he has neither been given the chance to write a statement nor to speak with his wife.”
“The gendarmerie has requested for 150,000 FCFA for his bail in which his wife has struggled to raise by pledging the husband’s motorbike and some other properties”.
The current challenge he says is the absence of the individual that made the complaint.
“They are trying to get to the complainant who had involuntarily transferred to her friend’s house on phone to no avail. Mr Godlove’s absence from duty could also lead to him losing his job… We are really begging that and pleading that he should be released as soon as possible,” he adds.
Mimi Mefo Info
