By Joe Dinga Pefok
The SDF Littoral Provincial Chairman, Jean-Michel Nintcheu, might face trial for allegedly instigating and manipulating some youths who destroyed property during the transporters' strike that rocked Douala last week.
Unconfirmed rumours have it that the CPDM regime is scheming to have Nintcheu's immunity as Vice President of the SDF Parliamentary Group lifted at the next Parliamentary session on March 13.
Some highly placed sources in the regime say the charges might stretch back to include a bloody incident, which occurred in Douala on Saturday, February 23. Nintcheu was stopped at the Douala International Airport by a Police Commissioner at about 10.30 pm on Sunday, March 2, as he was about to leave for France and his passport was confiscated.
The MP was, however, not arrested, probably because of his Parliamentary immunity. The Commissioner reportedly told the SDF MP that they were instructed not to allow him to leave the country. Nintcheu was forced to return home.
All attempts by The Post to reach Nintcheu were in vain as his cellular phone was off. It would be recalled in an interview published in Le Messager (No. 2564 of Tuesday, March 4) Nintcheu, who is known to regularly travel abroad said he wanted to travel to France for an urgent matter related to his business.
He dismissed allegations that he wanted to escape from the country for fear that his immunity would be lifted for him to stand trial. Nintcheu, who denied having had any hand in the strike action and violence that hit Douala last week, equally rejected allegations by the police that some of the youths who were arrested incriminated him.
He insisted that those youths who allegedly said that he gave or promised them money to go out and cause havoc, were being manipulated.Said Nintcheu: "the CPDM regime wants to terrorise those opposed to the modification of the Constitution."
Smear Campaign
Many observers in Douala think that Nintcheu might be correct to say that the Government had long planned to frame him and have him arrested.In fact, the Minister of Communication, Jean Pierre Biyiti bi Essam, appeared to have publicly launched the smear campaign to frame the Littoral SDF Chairman on February 24,
when, in a communiqué, he tried to force a link between a protest march by SDF militants against the planned constitutional amendment which Nintcheu had announced to take off at "Rond Point" Dakar on that Saturday, February 23, and the violent and bloody incident which occurred around "Carrefour Bilongé" at "Village" on the same evening.
But it would be recalled that Nintcheu, upon his arrival at "Rond Point" Dakar at 5.15 pm on that day, had briefly address SDF militants and asked them to disperse and return home. Troops had violently moved in as Nintcheu and the SDF militants were dispersing and sprayed them with tear gas and water.
Meanwhile, the incident, which occurred at Carrefour Bilongé, was as a result of an accident between a commercial motorcycle (bendskin) and a truck. Angry bendskin riders and other members of the public had reacted violently, leaving a trail of damaged property. Observers, therefore, find it absurd for the Minister to insinuate that the same Nintcheu who postponed the public march at Rond Point, Dakar for fear of violence, could be linked to the Carrefour Bilongé incident later that evening.
Save $$$ from any phoneDetention
It is reported that well over 500 youths many of whom are between the ages of 14 and 16 years and even less have been detained after last week's upheaval.On Wednesday, February 27, for example, some 400 youths were trapped and rounded up at the Wouri Bridge when they started a protest march from Bonaberi with the aim of getting to Bonanjo, to see the Governor.
The youths were bundled to the Naval Base, where they were reportedly severely tortured and interrogated. Some were released while others were taken and dumped in various cells. Many parents are complaining that their children are missing.
A hasty trial of some of the youths started in Douala on February 28. Quite of number of the youths are reported to have already being put on trial and sentenced, while their parents do not even yet know their whereabouts.
In a related development, political activist, Mboua Massock, is reported to be missing. Family members say he has not been seen since he left the house at PK 13 on February 29. It is being rumoured that he has been detained at the New Bell Prison.
I learned form TV5 some of these youths have been sentenced without lawyers to defend them. Are we here in a junta where no penal codes exist? Why all these preposterousness?
Posted by: simplice | Friday, 07 March 2008 at 12:56 PM