By Clovis Atatah & Kini Nsom
Some CPDM Bureau members of the National Assembly have urged Hon. Fon Doh Gah Gwanyin III, suspected of killing SDF Balikumbat District Chairman, John Kohtem, in August last year, to resign or face the prospect of losing his immunity, The Post has learnt.
A National Assembly Bureau member, who requested anonymity, told The Post, Saturday, January 8, that the Speaker, Hon. Cavaye Yeguie Djibril, received a file from the Vice Prime Minister, Minister of State for Justice, Amadou Ali, Friday, January 7, on the subject of lifting Fon Doh’s immunity.
The Vice Prime Minister reportedly requested the National Assembly to take a decision on the issue so that Fon Doh could stand trial.
According to our source, President Paul Biya has given his go-ahead for justice to take its course in the possible prosecution of the suspected murderers of John Kohtem.
This, even after Fon Doh shook hands with the Head of State on January 6, during presentation of New Year wishes at the Unity Palace.
When Hon. Cavaye received the hot file, The Post was told, he held meetings with some CPDM members of the Bureau on what decision they should take before formally convening the entire Bureau.
During the meetings, the CPDM Bureau members reportedly decided to ask Fon Doh, to honourably resign from the National Assembly and save them the effort of going through the process of considering whether his immunity should be lifted or not.
Incidentally, Fon Doh was in Yaounde and he was called and informed of the situation, our source said. He reportedly refused outright that he would not resign. But when the other CPDM Bureau members insisted, he reportedly pleaded to be given time to consider the matter.
After the meeting, The Post learnt, Fon Doh met individual CPDM Bureau members and urged them not to accept that his immunity should be lifted.
Our source said the government has now shifted responsibility on the issue to the National Assembly. If it fails to act, the government would point to the fact that it followed due process and exculpate itself from any blame.
The source said if by the end of next week, Fon Doh has not tendered in his resignation, then the Speaker of the National Assembly would surely convene a meeting of the Bureau to take a decision on the matter.
The file on Kohtem’s murder had travelled a long road from the Northwest Attorney General to the then Minister of State for Justice, the Presidency and finally to the National Assembly.
After investigations by gendarmes on Kohtem’s death, the Attorney General of the Northwest Province reportedly recommended the lifting of Fon Doh’s immunity, so that he could stand trial as principal suspect in the murder of John Kohtem, amongst 11 others. (See The Post No. 0622 of Monday, November 29, 2004).
The other suspects are awaiting trial at the Bamenda Central Prison.
Kohtem, the outspoken SDF Chairman of the Balikumbat District, was murdered on August 20, 2004, in the weeks leading to the October 11 Presidential election. He was murdered at the Balikumbat Market Square while he was returning home from a meeting convened by the Governor of the Northwest Province in Ndop, on preparations towards the October 11 polls.
Fon Doh reportedly had an angry verbal exchange with John Kohtem during the meeting.
The murder provoked the outpouring of emotions in the country and angry denizens of Bamenda massively participated in street demonstrations calling for Fon Doh’s head.
Although Fon Doh has admitted having had a quarrel with Kohtem during the August 20 meeting, he has consistently denied accusations that he participated in the murder of the SDF official.
It is an international accepted fact that the rule of law is supreme, and it is no respecter of person or creed and that it is blind. The law must actually be so, if its tenets and embodiments are to be upheld and faithfully safeguarded. The same law which is applied on the not so lucky in life citizens, is verily the only and the same that is being dispensed on the mighty of the society, no matter how highly placed they may be. Yes, that is so, because it is the LAW! However in Cameroon, decorum, values and morals are thrown to the dogs whenever a "big" fish is caught by the long arms of the law. Starting with the Lamido of Rey Bouba who killed a UNDP member of parliament , Meva Meboutu who stashed money within and outside the country and those crooks who lavishly and recklessly claimed to have bought the last plane for Biya, none of them has, or will ever be asked to account for their atrocities.
It is ironic and disturbingly alarming at the rate which elected leaders of the people, under the guise of constitutional immunity, break the laws of the land and go scot free, without even an indictment. Lives and properties have been destroyed, villages have been razed to the ground. While thousands of lives of peace loving citizens have been prematurely ended and family hopes scuttled. The strong have continued to muzzle the weak and annihilate their constitutionally provided right of good governance and development. The authorities have persistently continued to thrive on the monster known as corruption, illegally and willfully diverting the ordinary citizens' funds abroad. The roads, educational and health facilities have deteriorated to an abysmal level. The citizens are left with nothing except religious, tribal and sectional rancorous upheavals, that have bedeviled and astrided the nation's development.
. Instead of appreciating the sufferings of the masses as genuine as something that needs remedy, most of our ministers, and members of parliament notably of the CPDM party have shirked their responsibilities to the people and are helping themselves from the masses purse.
Ordinarily, one would have accepted that the insertion of the immunity clause in our constitution was done in good faith and since logically it is believed that whosoever made it to the top, must really have achieved that feat as a result of his condour, humbleness and trust people have in him or her and therefore would not turn round to cheat or abuse their mandate. However due the simple way citizens go about breaking the laws of the land with impunity and couples with the shoddy laws operated by MINATD on elective office seekers, people with questionable and dubious characters easily make it fraudulently to the top, where the immunity monster shields them from any legal action no matter what offence is committed by them. The likes of Hon Chigago boy,Sali Dairu are cases in point.
Now, the question on many a Cameroonian here in the US is Will the National Assembly wait until Fon Doh exhaust his term and become free from immunity of prosecution before making its move, or is the constitution going to be strictly followed so as to allow the Mezam high court to prosecute Fon Doh no matter his high office ? It is disturbing how some elected leaders have turned themselves into semi gods, by behaving as if they are far above the level of the electorates.
From crass vindictiveness and witch-hunting of opponents, these elected leaders do nothing by way of uniting their people towards achieving a common goal. In so many developed nations of the , leaders who commit crimes that are exposed to the knowledge of the public, honourably and with dignity, tender their resignations from public service. While in our own Cameroon, the opposite is the case and those type of leaders stay put on their seats as if nothing happened. The case of Lamido of Rey Bouba readily comes to mind. The Lamido of Rey Bouba case to so many decent Cameroonians is not yet over, as the demi god has never been dragged to court for killing a UNDP member of parliament.Surprisingly, when Hon Mbah Ndam of the SDF brought this to the floor of the assembly some few years ago, it was non other than the president of the UNDP partythe shameless Bello Bouba Maigari who opposed the idea with the argument that it was an internal affair of the UNDP party. Back to issues
One good thing about life generally, is that one day nemesis catches up with all cheats and crooks and their ill gotten loots will never shield them. . A nation of intrigues, that is our Cameroon where one scandal follows another with rapid succession. Just a few years ago it was widely reported in some national dailies that the the former minister of finance Meva Meboutu siphoned 12billion francs CFA from the state treasury yet there was no investigation to unearth the truth. This time around, the people of Balikumbat and the North West in particular must unite and force the Cameroon government as they have always done to get Fon Doh principal suspect for the Murder of John Kohtem stand/face trial just as has happened in Kumba where Hon Eseme murderer was unearth by the Meme high court.
We are waiting Mr Biya . That is only when great achievement or ambition would have started.
Fru Eric Anye,
Texas, USA
Posted by: Fru Eric Anye | Tuesday, 11 January 2005 at 12:36 PM
Maybe with enough attention, "some" justice might come. Where does a mandate for immunity against murder come from? The following letter was posted to the Cameroon campaign group in London. I hope they are taking some action or putting pressure where it may help. A very clear message need to be sent, that these brutal & inhuman crimes are not acceptable!
Glenn Wilson
Glenn W.Wilson
51 Ballyshannon Road
Killarney Heights 2087
Australia.
glennwwilson@bigpond.com.au
http://www.angelfire.com/dc2/glenn
Mobile: 61400032023
Att: Lord 13th September 04
Avebury Cameroon Campaign Group
C/o CADRE 27 Old Gloucester Street
London WCIN 3XX
United Kingdom.
Dear Sir,
I have read with interest your comments on the cowardly murder of John Kohtem at
Balikumbat, North West province of Cameroon. I have experienced the politics and Judiciary of Cameroon myself, being present in the South West province during the 2002 election.
I urge you to take the matter of John Kohtem’s murder before the United Nations and present this case in the strongest manner possible. This murder highlights how Cameroonians in authority, consider themselves above all laws. This policy begins at the highest levels of Government, passing through to the lowest levels of authority, showing no respect for human life and committing barbaric acts in the name of the Government.
Today I viewed recent photographs of an innocent Cameroonian who was set alight by a Police Inspector. Not surprisingly, the man is now deceased. Photos of this ruthless savagery can be viewed at http://ambazonia.indymedia.org/en//2004/08/828.shtml
I could write a book on the shenanigans surrounding the 2002 election, but we’ve heard it
all before and no one seems to care. Where are the citizens of Cameroon to turn for help? With foreign countries more interested in keeping the status quo (turning a blind eye), that allows the continued removal of Cameroon’s resources, with the only beneficiaries being President Biya’s personal bank accounts. The only way to alter the attitudes of those in control is to publicise their atrocities and shame them in the International public arena.
Maybe, those in the Cameroon Presidency will set up an enquiry into the death in Balikumbat? Their “Promise everything, Deliver nothing” policy should smokescreen the issues nicely.
In 2002, the Commonwealth Minister in Yaounde (Ngute Joseph Dsir) ordered an investigation into my being poisoned by my wife of four months and the theft of 50 million cfa by her tribe’s people, (Bayangi). This inquiry was a very simple affair; Government Officials threatened my witnesses with jail and myself with death, if the matter was pursued. My friend & security guard (Eugene Mapouth) was viciously attacked shortly after,(nowdeceased).
So just how much justice might the average Cameroonian citizen receive? He might be well satisfied with none, but more likely he will pay a very high price, just for asking.
Again, I urge you to use the full extent of your powers, to pursue some justice for a community that desperately needs it. If I can assist in any small way, do not hesitate to contact me.
Kindest Regards
Glenn W.Wilson
C.C Secretary General, United Nations.
Australian Foreign Affairs, Canberra.
British Foreign & Commonwealth office, London.
Cameroon Consulate, Australia.
Posted by: Glenn Wilson | Tuesday, 11 January 2005 at 05:15 PM
O Lord, I’m waiting for you in Kumba
O Lord, when you come, I will confess that this corrupt life, desire for power, insecurity, and bitterness is affecting my life, relationships and job.
O Lord, I will acknowledge the inability to love or trust others. I will confess that I have not been humane, patient and devoted to others when they have asked me about my ways and abuse of office.
O Lord, I will confess that I have rewarded others for smoothness to higher office. I will confess that I paid others to kill and hurt others in my approach and desire for power and dominant.
I will confess I have killed and hurt others. O Lord, I have allowed aggression, a corrupt life and hate to grow in me, separating me from others and you.
Yes Lord, I have erred and strayed from thy ways like a lost sheep, I will understand that forgiveness is not an emotion but an act of my will.
O Lord, I will confess to you about my corrupt and ghastly life. I will reveal to you all my hidden monies, corrupt Kumba council accounts, shady council contacts and all other secrets.
O Lord, I will repent and cancel all access to my life that evil spirits have gained through my willful involvement in murder, fraud, corruption, and abuse of power.
O Lord, I’m waiting, have mercy upon me, my soul, forgive me, come, call me, release me from all my sins and pain.
O Lord, I plea for forgiveness, I have the will, I beg for forgiveness and pardon. I ask you to free my heart, my soul, my mind, my life.
O Lord, why are you running away from me?
Almighty and most merciful Lord, how long must I loiter before you call?
Posted by: Peter Nyumba | Wednesday, 12 January 2005 at 09:05 AM
Just for once, let justice be heard.Irrespective of party affiliation, murder should not be condone. I applaud those CPDM representatives taking the stance to oust this man from their midst.How can one who has no respect for the law be a member of the same institution empowered to be amongst those deliberating on matters of national concern? He is a disgrace to his clan, to mankind and to Cameroon. King makers in Balikumbat should seriously consider dethroning him. If such a move is not part of its tradition, then the time is now to look into their laws and include such a clause.
Posted by: Che Sunday (Dr.) | Wednesday, 12 January 2005 at 11:38 PM