Yaounde: Kondengui Prison Officials in trouble over Anglophone detainees

Officials of the Kondengui Maximum Security Prison in Yaounde have come under intense pressure from a network of human rights activists in Central Africa.

The prison officials are now sweating under the ire of the activists after searching the cells of the Anglophone detainees; confiscated their telephones and stole their money.

 Those whose cells were searched are Barrister Agbor Balla, Dr. Fontem Neba, Harissou Aboubakar Sidiki, Marafa Hamidou Yaya, the Mayor of Fotokol, Ramat Moussa, who are all accused of plotting against the State and collaborating with Boko Haram respectively.

After searching, seizing and stealing money from the detainees’ cells on the instruction of the Superintendent of the Kondengui Central Prison, Senguena Abada Selestin, the detainees were equally barred from receiving any visitor until further notice.

According to the human rights activists, such decision is a gross violation of article 5 of the African Charter on Human and People’s Rights.

The article provides for the respect of human dignity and prohibits the moral and physical torture of human persons.

The act of the prison authorities also violates article 7 of the international pact relating to civil and political rights.

The human rights activists are asking the Biya Government to release all Anglophones, arrested in the North West and South West Regions in the wake of the political and socio-economic upheavals in the two Regions before things get out of control.

Many peace crusaders and international organisations like the United Nations have called on Government to release all those detained in connection with the Anglophone Problem so as to pave the way for appeasement, national dialogue and reconciliation. Government is yet to react to the avalanche of calls.