Yaoundé (National Times) - The leader of the Cameroon Renaissance Movement (CRM), Professor Maurice Kamto and other militants and sympathisers of the party have been transferred from the different detention facilities in and around Yaoundé to the Kondengui Principal Prison where they are awaiting trial.
According to sources close to the party Kamto, Penda Ekoka, Albert Dzongang, Celestin Djamen and others were hurriedly transferred from their different detention facilities and brought before the Yaoundé Military Court on Tuesday and after auditioning, ferried them to the Kondengui Principal Prison where they are presently being kept.
The Secretary General of CRM, Christopher Ndong, who was present at the Military Court made the following pronouncements; “I personally assisted at the Military Tribunal. More than 150 persons, militants of CRM were brought and this 9:00pm Kamto was taken first by an Examining Magistrate who is a Colonel in the Army. He read the following charge sheet to Kamto citing section 10 of the military code, sections 10, 74, 97, 102, 116, 152, 153, 157, 187, 231, 232, 234, 316 and section 8 of Law no. 1990/055 of 18/12/1990 relating to public manifestations and meetings.
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In the list presented to National Times News, a total of 159 persons have been transferred to the Kondengui detention facility. It also included popular musician, Abbe Abbe Phillipe Gaston otherwise known as Valsero as well as Kamto’s Campaign Manager during the October 7 Presidential election, Paul Eric Kingue.
Those who were also shot and wounded by security officers during the demonstrations on January 26 including Celestin Djamen were also transferred to the prison.
Party officials have condemned the move and describe it as a mutation from a Civilian to a Military State.
According Penda Ekoka’s spokesperson, who spoke to National Times News on phone it is difficult to understand how people who were organising a peaceful demonstration in pursuance of their fundamental human rights are being brought before a Military Tribunal. “This people did not organised a revolt, it was just a peaceful march which is authorised everywhere in the world,” Wanah Immanuel said.
In the meantime, Government has remained mute over the issue with no State authority wanting to make a statement. However, as in previous cases, a press release is expected from the Minister of Communication to present the official version of the State.
Many national and international human rights groups have denounced the detention of Kamto and sees it as politically motivated. They have urged the Government to release him immediately. The UN has also been called in to intervene in the Kamto affair.
In recent years, Cameroon has constantly been referring to the Military Tribunal in matters concerning civilians which is against human rights rules. Most persons opposed to the regime or state are summarily brought before the Military Tribunal which was originally meant to try soldiers as well as those organising armed rebellion against the State. In 2017, Barrister Agbor Balla and most of those who initiated the Anglophone strike action were also brought before the Military Tribunal including Journalists.
While Agbor Balla, Dr Fontem Neba and others were released, majority of them are still awaiting trial or have been sentenced to lengthy jail terms including the likes of Mancho Bibixy and Penn Terence.
