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Judicial police in the South west region are digging deeper into the arson at the Limbe old and new markets which ravaged 30 shops in 48hours last week, to which all indicators show it is a planned mission.

A young man in his mid twenties was arrested in connection with the incident in the sea side city and his revelations are staggering. The suspect is said to have revealed that he received 150.000 FCFA to carry out the act. French daily Le Jour confirms the suspect was given 50.000 FCFA and the rest was to be paid after he finished his mission. However he did not give the name of his sponsor.  

South West Governor, Bernard Okalia who qualified the incident as an act of terrorism has told the press today that a thorough man hunt has been launched to fish out accomplices to these heinous crimes.

Major markets in the Anglophone regions of Cameroon have suffered huge financial losses following a series of what investigators say are “well planned, coordinated and executed acts of terror on the population from unknown sources.” Accusing fingers are pointing at secessionist groups abroad calling for the complete independence of Cameroon’s English speaking regions presently rocked a tensed socio political crisis.

Ghost town which has been used as a weapon to demonstrate dissatisfaction over marginalization of the anglophone minority has been losing steam in Limbé as some traders think it's an economic slowdown to their businesses.  

Some of them have told Camcord that they who dare to open their shops during the ghost towns have been tagged as supporting the regime’s injustices on the people and most of them are now facing stigmatization and threats from their community. Though the secessionist movements have not officially claimed responsibility for these acts, repeated calls for the population to denounce those who refuse to be part of ghost towns with severe consequences has been a strong indicator to where the accusation swings. One of the leaders of the outlawed Consortium has however  distanced the body from these acts of violence putting the blame on government agents who disguise to carry out these acts on the people.

The big questions remains who could have paid the young suspect to unleash terror in these markets and for what motive. That's what investigators are now trying to unveil.

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Mbi James

04.Apr.2017

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The President of Niger, Mohamadou Issofou has vowed to teach all African presidents practiced democracy as he says he is not going to amend the constitution of Niger to stand for the Presidential elections for the third time.

The president who came into power in 2011 says it is time for African heads of states to stand up and respect the constitution with dignity. According to him, most African Heads of states have decided to clinch to power and this attitude has sparked many civil wars and hampered meaningful development in the continent. 

Mr Tangiri Ivo, a political scientist says too much stay on power only helps to fuel corruption and havoc in a country.

“When a president stays in power for so long, an invisible and adaptive form of corruption will slowly be installed. They gradually form an almost insurmountable system that helps maintain them in power” says the political scientist. “In most African countries, Presidents through their crooked systems often manipulate their constitution to permit them stand for additional terms in office and this seems to be a dangerous growing trend” he adds

The cries of Mr Mohamadou and Mr Tangiri, are similar to the voices of millions of Africans suffering in hunger, poverty and unemployment; who want a change in their leadership.

It is said that new blood brings new things, but most African presidents are still to absorb this assertion and leave when their time is due. 

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Ndi Derek Giyoh

04.Apr.2017

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After his state visit to Italy from March 20 to 22, then to the Vatican City (the sixth of its kind), the following day, Cameroon’s Head of state Paul Biya, has not yet returned to Cameroon.
The 84year old dictator with 35 years in  power, who left his country on March 18, 2017, has not yet returned to Yaounde, two weeks after his departure.
No formal details on the President’s where about has been revealed by the Civil cabinet. But it is widely believed that the Cameroonian leader would have flown to his usual abode,  Geneva in Switzerland, a country in which he is an honorary citizen, and where he lavishes tax payers effort.

Biya’s last private visit to Europe was between September and October 2016. He had been interrupted after the Eseka train wreck  which had officially caused 79 deaths and about 600 injured. Biya who out of the country at the time of the incident hurriedly  returned to Cameroon on 23 October 2016.  Before the state visit to Italy, he has been in the country for 145 days.

The Anglophone crisis is said to have forced him to stay this long, a full blown socio-political quagmire which critics say needs more concrete solutions than what has been done so far.

Biya’s unannounced trips abroad has been subject of debate as he usually accompanied by a huge delegation where huge sums of money are spent on hotels, food, resorts, and an aircraft which is rented at exorbitant cost. Where as millions of Cameroonians continue to wallow in abject poverty. His absence  critics say has always left the country in the hands of a gang of collaborators who govern as Demi gods and have no regard for the population. Mismanagement and embezzlement of state are said to be on the increase each time the Head of state leaves the country. The diaspora has for some time been very hostile to his consistent inconsistency at home, hurling insults on him each time he is spotted abroad. . This has left Biya to always live a fugitive life abroad as many have described him as the “absentee leader.”

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Rita Akana

03.Apr.2017

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Measures taken  to bring solutions to the problems posed by Common law lawyers have been presented yesterday evening in Yaoundé by the Minister of State, Minister of Justice and keeper of the Seals, Laurent  Esso.

Amongst these solutions is the fact that the President of the Republic instructed the Ministry of Justice  to draw up and submit to  a bill amending the organization and functioning of the Supreme Court to include the Common Law Section.

He has also ordered a new assessment test of the mastery of common law by magistrates serving in the Northwest and South West Courts of Appeal.. On the basis of this second evaluation, the Head of State will proceed with the redeployment of the magistrates taking into account their mastery of the official language most used, without calling into question either the irreversible option of National integration or the career development of magistrates.

The revelation of Laurent Esso comes close to 6 months after angry Common law lawyers grounded courts in the Anglophone regions. Readers of the crisis believe the temperature appears too hot for government who is slowing coming to terms with the legitimate worries expressed by the lawyers. Concerns which were ignored by the Minister when these issues were forwarded in the Bamenda and Buea declarations of May and November 2015 emanating from the Common law Lawyers Conference.

Anglophones legal practitioners who saw their patience stretched took to the streets to echo their cry but were brutally molested in Bamenda and Buea. The Minister who publicly said there was no problem in the justice system appears to be coming back to reason with his tail between his legs.

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Rita Akana

31.Mar.2017

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An Ivory Coast judge says former first lady Simone Gbagbo has been found not guilty of crimes against humanity and war crimes.

Kouadio Bouatchi said Tuesday that Gbagbo was acquitted. The prosecution had asked for a life sentence, saying she participated in a committee that organized abuses against supporters of her husband's opponent after the 2010 election.

More than 3,000 people were killed after former President Laurent Gbagbo refused to accept defeat to current President Alassane Ouattara. 

Simone Gbagbo still must serve 20 years in prison after being found guilty in March 2015 of offenses against the state.

Simone Gbagbo, in custody since April 2011, has been indicted by the International Criminal Court for crimes against humanity, but Ivory Coast has refused to transfer her.

ABC

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Rita Akana

28.Mar.2017

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On March 20, 2017, I received a summons requiring that I show up to the National Defense Secretariat (SED) on Wednesday, March 23. Due to a prior commitment, I informed the SED of my intention to fulfil my professional commitments in South Africa on that day, offering instead to have the hearing on the morning of Friday, March 24.
I was accompanied to SED on Friday morning by the President of the Cameroon Bar Association, as well as four former presidents of the Bar and many members of the Bar Council. On arrival, I found over a hundred lawyers waiting outside. They waited patiently outside while I was being heard by a Lieutenant of the gendarmerie. These are the charges that were levied against me:  
- Hostility toward the homeland
- Advocating terrorism
- Secession
- Revolution
- Insurrection
- Compromising the security of the State
 
These charges, it would seem, stemmed from the content of articles that I had published in the "Le Jour" daily newspaper. The first article appeared on December 19, 2016, entitled "The Inevitable Nature of Change" in which I examine the futility of resisting change.

The second appeared on January 10, 2017, entitled "Cameroon is One and Indivisible: Which Cameroon?" in which I discuss the questions of unity that plague our country.
The investigation, I was informed, was opened at the request of the commissioner of government at the Military Tribunal. I responded to all the questions asked truthfully, reaffirming my convictions and standing behind the words I wrote in those articles. After a few hours I was allowed to leave the gendarmerie. The report of the investigation will be transmitted to the commissioner of government.
 
I am grateful for the out-pour of kindness and support that I received from well-wishers both online and off. To those who, fearing for my safety, encouraged me to stay away from Cameroon, I say thank you for your concern, but my conscience is my judge and I believe am not guilty of wrongdoing. I love my country and I will always speak up in the interest of a better tomorrow.
Akere T. Muna

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Rita Akana

25.Mar.2017

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