Cameroon: Mayor of Buea conspires with close aid to pervert the course of justice in deadly hit and kill accident

The Mayor of Buea Council, Patrick Ekema, Tuesday November 8, played traffic policeman at the scene of the motor accident that killed a taxi driver in Buea.

The presence of the Mayor and his dreaded council police at the accident scene caused quite a stir and obstructed traffic as taxi drivers and other denizens demanded the rule of law to take its course.

The Mayor’s act for deciding to tow the vehicle that hit and killed the Cab driver before the police appeared is being interpreted as an attempt to to interfere with justice.

According to eyewitness accounts, the accident happened as early as 6:30 am, when a motorist driving a car matriculated LT 953DX on top speed on Buea’s lone pathway from Mile 17 narrowly missed a boy doing early morning jogging, only to crash into the Cab driver who was loading a passenger’s luggage at the roadside. 

The impact of the accident was so loud that the early risers on the highway reportedly ran in all directions before coming back to the aid of the victims of the accidents.

Celestine Yufetigo, an eyewitness, said after the accident happened, a man reportedly called and informed the Mayor who appeared at the scene shortly afterwards and instructed Council workers to tow the offending car away.

According to Yufetigo, when they tried to persuade the Mayor to act accordingly, one of the Mayor’s bodyguards slapped him and his friend warned that if they continue to bug the Mayor, “they would be made to disappear from the streets of Buea.”

Irate drivers and a crowd that had gathered at the scene questioned why the Mayor was anxious to tow that accident car away before the police made their investigations if it wasn’t for personal interest.

They said the Council often delays for weeks before clearing cars from accident scenes.

Many also questioned why the scene had to be distorted before traffic police and other officials could appear, and why the Council did not take away the cab also.

Lyonga Mbella, a family member and cousin of the deceased driver, who spoke to The Post, lamented why the Mayor wanted to obstruct law from taking its course. “Is the Mayor a new police force in Buea…is his job not clearly described by the State?” Mbella questioned.

He said, “The Mayor is acting against the very common man who voted him into office, forgetting that he can be elected out of office.”

According to Mbella, it was clearly the supposed Mayor’s friend who was at fault, leading to the death of his cousin since his car was being rushed out of the scene before the forces of law and order could arrive.

The Post learnt that the cab driver was later discovered to be a native of Bova II in Buea, the village where the Mayor hails from.

Meanwhile, the police arrived and put back some order while the State Counsel intervened and ordered for the accident car towed away by the Mayor to be brought back to the accident scene for police to proceed with their investigations.