Let me die in jail, not in hospital - Marafa

Marafa: Let me die in Jail, not in prison

Cameroon's famous ‘Political Prisoner’, Marafa Hamidou Yaya, now wants to be taken out of the Yaoundé Hospital Teaching Centre ( CHU).

According to Marafa’s Lawyer, Professor Ndiva Kofele Kale, “...Marafa has decided to return to his cramped, humid and windowless cell in the so-called secondary prison in the National Secretariat for Defense (SED) because the doctors at CHU have not been able to diagnose his ailment much less treat him.”

His lawyer, Ndiva Kofele-Kale, took time off from grieving the loss of his nephew, to travel to Yaoundé to see his client last week.

He told Cameroon Headlines that he found “the famous patient exactly where he left him the week earlier. One major difference was the increased number of armed gendarmes and other security details guarding him, numbering close to 50.”

 Marafa, according to his counsel, questioned his continued stay at the hospital and worried about the possibility of exposure to other diseases.

Marafa is quoted as saying that since President Biya has elected to brush aside his lawyer's appeal to have him evacuated to the American Hospital in Paris for expert diagnosis and specialist care, he prefers to return to SED and leave his fate in the hands of the Almighty! 

The former minister’s fast deteriorating health condition is now becoming a real cause for concern to the authorities especially following the death of another minister, Catherine Abena, former Secretary of State for Secondary Education, who died some months ago while in prison. Her death was not taken kindly to by her kinsmen and women. If Marafa suffers a similar fate, apparently the reactions would not only be widespread but could be more intense and a huge blow to the country’s image.

A source hinted that Marafa ‘s counsel had official lodged a request to move Marafa abroad for proper treatment, but no response has been got.

CONAC probes in Fako land palaver

Top administrators, chiefs already quizzed in Buea & Limbe

BY ATIA TILARIOUS AZOHNWI
The Fako land saga has taken another twist as the National Anti-Corruption Commission (CONAC) entered into Fako Division last week to carry out investigations on alleged land-grabbing by some local administrators, land tenure officials and traditional rulers. The CONAC outing to Fako Division, Cameroon Headlines learnt is on the high instructions of the Prime Minister and Head of government, Philemon Yang.

Though details of the CONAC fact-finding mission to Buea and Limbe remain sketchy, dependable sources have informed Cameroon Headlines that top administrative officials of the region, some members of the Fako administration, a number of chiefs and municipal authorities (names and positions withheld) were grilled. Some officials in the State Property and Land Tenure delegation have also been quizzed regarding the management of land surrendered to the community by the state.

Over half a dozen chiefs in Fako Division are said to have answered questions from the CONAC team.

Given that CONAC is only at the level of preliminary investigations, those grilled were given the opportunity to present their own side of the story to the anti-corruption body.

William Ngomba, Chief of Bongala village was reportedly grilled for several hours by the CONAC team and was later remanded in custody at the Limbe Gendarmerie.

Dependable sources say about 50 hectares of land were ceded to Bongala Village. Even before the official documents were signed by the minister to authorise the land surrender to the community, Cameroon Headlines learnt that Chief Ngomba, with the backing of some members of the local administration, sold about 25 hectares of the said land even before the official documents were signed by the minister. The land is alleged to have been sold to an expatriate real estate company.

As we went to press on Sunday night, we could only confirm that Chief Ngomba had been released.

Cameroon Headlines also got that the top notch of the Cameroon Development Corporation (CDC) passed before the CONAC team.

His submissions to CONAC have been described by observers as crucial, given that the whole issue of land surrenders in Fako revolve around the CDC.

The new turn of events in what is now considered the ‘Fako Land Saga’ has led to a duel between chiefs, the administration and members of the civil society.

The chiefs accuse Christopher Tambe Tiku, Secretary of the South West Office of the National Commission on Human Rights and Freedoms for continuously calling for violence, genocide and secession under the pretext of Fako lands.

The chiefs fell short of mentioning the name of Barrister Ikome Ngongi who, together with others, has recently been very vocal on the fight against the continuing illegality surrounding transactions over Fako lands.

The chiefs in the release used unfriendly words to describe those they say are claiming to be fighting against the continuing illegality surrounding transactions over Fako lands.

They hold that Tambe Tiku, Ikome Ngongi and all those fighting against the supposed illegality surrounding transactions over Fako lands are hungry, frustrated and envious.

Their words: “Contrary to these nepotic declarations emanating from these irresponsible individuals that are even threatening to drag the non-indigenous people who have been allocated lands by the traditional rulers as a sign of national integration to court, we the traditional rulers of Fako do call on all these stakeholders to be steadfast and continue to help in the development of our division. They should consider these agitations as mere signs of frustration, envy and hunger.”

Speaking to Cameroon Headlines in a telephone interview, Christopher Tambe Tiku, Secretary of the South West Office of the National Commission on Human Rights and Freedoms described the attitude of the chiefs as a show of ignorance.

Speaking on CRTV Buea Press Club, Saturday, July 12, Tambe Tiku they briefed the Prime Minister on “the callous and atrocious manner in which land grabbing is taking place in Fako."

Cameroon Headlines learnt that Tambe Tiku and Ikome Ngongi had a meetings, Friday, July 18, in Yaounde with the Prime Minister and Minister of State Property, Surveys and Land Tenure.

Quizzed on the outcome of the meetings, Tambe Tiku hinted that the Minister has put an end to land surrenders in Fako and in the days ahead, all Divisional Delegates of Lands, both past and present will be expected to render an account of all surrendered lands and the beneficiaries.

“We have also been mandated to supply to the minister the names of all those who are involved in the illegal sale of surrendered land in Fako,” Tambe Tiku hinted Cameroon Headlines.

Though no official has come out to comment on the recent CONAC mission to Fako, it is clear that it is as a result of the meetings Tambe Tiku and Ikome Ngongi held with the Prime Minister and the Minister of State Property, Surveys and Land Tenure. The mission is also not unconnected to the petition Fako chiefs forwarded to the Presidency of the Republic and the Prime Minister.

Rumours spread Ebola Virus in Cameroon

DR Congo donates 100 pieces of Ebola protective wears to Cameroon

Dr. Victor Njie Mbome, South West Regional Delegate of Public Health has dispelled rumours that cases of the deadly Ebola Virus have been discovered in Mamfe and Buea.

It is also alleged that a case of the Ebola fever has been confirmed in Doaula. While this flying news circulated through text messages goes on, Health officials have called for caution and increase surveillance.

“Presently, we don’t have any case of Ebola in the South West Region.it is important to note that. There is a lot of scare and worry. This is very understandable because people keep on moving,” Njie Mbome said.

According to the Public Health Delegate, we must all be conscious of the fact that we are dealing with a very ‘sensitive and challenging disease’.

“Cameroon shares a very long boundary with Nigeria. The virus has moved from Serra Leone, Liberia, Guinea and we now have cases reported and confirmed in Nigeria. We must be on alert. It means that Cameroon isin the pre-epidemic phase. We as health workers have to increase surveillance and disease control. The population must be enlightened and given the right information. We have to reinforce attitudes that can help us prevent the disease,” he says.

Reacting to increased rumour of Ebola cases in parts of Mamfe and Buea, Dr. Njie Mbome said “to say we have a case means that we must have it confirmed. We don’t have Ebola in the South West.”

He gave assurances that surveillance  has been increased at all entry points into the region beginning from Idenau, Limbe, Bota, Tiko, Mamfe, Ekok, EkondoTiti and other frontier localities along the border with Nigeria. He said instructions have been given to the district medical officers in the border localities to be on alert.

“We have informed all the district medical officers and we are working with the administration to make sure that people coming into the country are followed up. You must show proof that you have been vaccinated against preventablediseases,” he added.

In terms of equipment, Njie Mbome said “the presence of the virus in Nigeria has put us in avery advantage position and we are taking measures before. Since we are in the pre-epidemic phase, we must get the necessary equipment. Centres have been identified in each region to take care of cases if they come up.”

He adds that “every country in this sub-region must take measures in anticipation of any eventuality. We have a broad view of what Ebola is all about. Every health worker is informed.This is one of the main things that will be examined at the regional coordination meeting for health officials this week. Training for health workers is in view.”

Medics say Ebola is very contagious; it spreads rapidly through contact with body fluids, secretions and sweat from infected individuals.

At the beginning, they say, one may thing it is malaria, when the patient starts vomiting blood and passing out blood through the nostrils and ears and bloody diarrhoea, such a person must be isolated and taken to hospital.

Medics have advised that dead animals should be reported and the eating of bush meat and other animals that stray into the wild should be avoided.

It is also falsely said in some quarters that the eating of bitter-kola with salt can help prevent individuals from the virus. This has been regarded as baseless by medics who say there are persons in Nigeria who have been hospitalised for health difficulties after eating large quantities of bitter-kola and salt.

Cameroon police arrest Charles Taylor’s son

The son of former Liberian dictator Charles Taylor is due to be prosecuted in Cameroon for illegally entering the country without the appropriate documentation.

Cornelius Taylor was arrested by Cameroonian immigration police at the entrance of Kumba from Calabar by road.

When questioned by police, Cornelius Taylor told the officers he was on his way to Douala to meet a lady who would provide him with travel documents to enter the United States.

Unscathed by lawsuits internationally, Cornelius Taylor could be repatriated if found guilty of illegal immigration.

In 2006, Emmanuel, another son of Charles Taylor, also known as Charles Taylor Junior or Chucky Taylor, was arrested in Miami, Florida, following the imprisonment of his father and sent to the prison of the Special Court for Sierra Leone (TSSL).

Emmanuel, who is an American citizen, was responsible for Liberian forces who provided security for President Taylor before his exile in Nigeria in 2003.

According to Police sources, Cornelius Taylor who spent three days behind bars at the police station before being whisked to the Kumba Central Police Station  was arrested for want of valid documents to step foot on Cameroonian soil, thus being qualified as an illegal immigrant. However, Taylor Cornelius who was later taken before the State Counsel Justice Batuo Paul Akong at the Kumba Legal Department narrated that he wasn't an illegal immigrant.

He maintained that he was coming from Nigeria on an invitation from in Cameroon based in Limbe for some transactions before he could take off for yet another destination. Taylor disclosed that he had only 20 pieces of Diamond in his possession which he sold to the Nigerien, which money enabled him to undertake the Cameroon trip.

However as we went to Press, Taylor Cornelius is reported to have being taken to Buea for further interrogations.

It should be noted that during Charles Taylor   term of office he accused of war crimes and crimes against humanity  as a result of his involvement in the Sierra Leone Civil war from 1991 to 2002 that claim thousands of life in that small West African Country. Sierra Leone .Domestically, opposition to his regime grew, culminating in the outbreak of the second Liberian War from 1999 to 2003. By 2003, he had lost control of much of the countryside and was formally indicted by the Special Criminal Court of Sierra Leone set up by the International Criminal Court S. That year, he resigned as President as a result of growing international pressure and went into exile in Nigeria. In 2006, the newly elected President Ellen Johnson Sirleaf formally requested his extradition, after which he was detained by UN authorities in Sierra Leone and then at the Penitentiary Institution Haaglandan in The Hague awaiting trial. He was found guilty in April 2012 of all eleven charges levied by the Special Court, including terror, murder and rape. In May he was sentenced to 50 years in prison for aiding and abetting as well as planning some of the most heinous and brutal crimes recorded in human history.