Former Cameroonian Political Operative Expelled from Canada

Adrian Humphreys, National Post 

Monday, April 13, 2009: A young man from Cameroon has been expelled from Canada after a federal judge declared that his sudden marriage to a Canadian did not make amends for his crimes against humanity as a political spy or for procuring underage girls for the sexual pleasure of the president's cousin.

Eric Francis Tchoumbou, 23, of Montreal, had fought to remain in Canada for nearly four years, alleging his former party militia colleagues in his West African homeland had tortured him despite his service as a political operative and party pimp.

He received little sympathy from the government or the courts in Canada after he was found ineligible for refugee status under all three of the United Nation's automatic exclusion criteria.

Mr. Tchoumbou's difficulties began at the age of 17, soon after he joined the youth wing of the Cameroon People's Democratic Movement (CPDM), the political party of ruling president Paul Biya.

"The leader of the CPDM [youth] put me in with a group of members that had to do certain tasks for the government," Mr. Tchoumbou told Canadian officials when first applying for asylum.

At a birthday party for another member, he met the cousin of Mr. Biya and soon found a role for himself within the party: his main job was to introduce girls to the cousin, something he did a dozen times over a period of nine months, he told Canadian officials.

"In exchange for pocket money, good restaurant meals and the company of the cousin of president Biya, [Mr. Tchoumbou] found girls, who could sometimes be minors, so this cousin could have sexual relations," according to a ruling by the Federal Court of Canada.

He later joined the party's militia, the "paramilitary organization serving the party or the repressive apparatus of the state that keeps that party in power," according to an Immigration and Refugee Board decision.

Mr. Tchoumbou described his second party job to immigration officials: "I would be sent to infiltrate the political opposition parties that were demonstrating against the government in order to identify the organizers and those who incited the others to take to the street.

"I also identified those who were sounding alarms and who encouraged the demonstrators to do anything they could to disturb the peace and to defeat the current government's actions," he told Canadian authorities.

Those he identified as political opponents were later tortured, officials found.

In May, 2004, he said he was brought to a room where police were beating political opponents of the president. He was asked to join in the torture but refused and left the room, he said.

Not long afterwards, he said, government agents grabbed him from his home and tortured him because of his refusal.

While imprisoned, a prison guard told him that he was going to be killed and urged him to flee, he said. He escaped and hid with a friend for a year before coming to Canada in 2005, he said.

The story he told refugee officials in Canada was cause for alarm and was used as evidence of his role in crimes against humanity, serious non-political criminality, and acts contrary to the purposes and principles of the United Nations, which are three reasons a person automatically becomes ineligible for refugee status.

At a refugee hearing, however, he denied engaging in the activities, adding the issue of credibility to his shortcomings.

Immigration officials did not believe he had been tortured or imprisoned in Cameroon.

After being denied asylum, he appealed to the Federal Court of Canada, which ruled against him in 2008.

Before he was sent back to Cameroon, however, he informed the government that he had just married a Canadian woman and was submitting a sponsored application for permanent residency on humanitarian and compassionate grounds. That led to a second Federal Court battle.

Mr. Tchoumbou argued that if sent back to Cameroon he would suffer irreparable harm because he will be separated from his wife as well as face inhumane treatment because of his political opinion.

Justice Michel Shore recently ruled against his attempt to stay.

Justice Shore noted that Mr. Tchoumbou did not provide any evidence of his marriage and even if he had, it did not preclude his removal given his exclusion from refugee status under the UN convention.

In this case, wrote Justice Shore, "the balance of convenience favours the public interest."

A spokeswoman for the Canada Border Services Agency said Mr. Tchoumbou has been removed from Canada.

His lawyer did not return phone calls.

National Post

ahumphreys@nationalpost.com

Comments

[fonchi]

Who was this president's cousin that was defiling underage girls? Or was he just making up the story. In any case, CPDM is a criminal cult.

[njala]

This seems like one of those fake persecution stories gone terribly wrong. This guy was too smart for his own good and did not realize that he was digging his own grave. I know of at least one other person who successfully used the "I am a repentant CPDM member" excuse to get his docky in the states.... Anyway, I guess all roads lead to Rome...

[damike]

That was a poorly framed story Monsieur Tchoumbou. Little did you know that you were digging your own grave. However it is all due to the collapsed state of affairs in La Republique. Bush Falling has become a profession just like becoming a physician, Pilot, Lawyer, nurse etc. My poor young man let us continue with the strive for a better cameroon. The Tyrant will be no more some day. POPO and his subordinates.

Damike

[EnowT]

All you guys talking here have no idea of the behind the scenes operation of politics in Cameroon. All you know is what happens during daylight. How do you think the CPDM has held power for close to 30 years?. There is much truth to this guys story. Some of the activities the ruling dynasty in Cameroon get involves would cause you to throw up if you only heard about them. The CPDM is a cult infested gang filled with perverts, rapists, molesters and cultists who would go to any length to satisfy their ego and their cult masters. Yes for those of you who are hearing this for the first time, these guys do not only want you girls, they want young boys too.You guess what they do with them, as Petit Pays calls it PEDE!

[Ade]

If he is telling lies then that is very very serious one. But what if he is telling the truth, what will become of him back in Cameroon.
please i pray they can do something as not to make a mistake of kill him also.

[Nico]

AHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA....Sucker hahah...send his a$% back

[tchabo]

Well,the attempt was worth it.Regardless,the out come. Buddy, you are a great guy,you fought the fight of a bush faller,you represented the brothers & sisters struggling to survive. Our leaders have failed us,lets not fail ourselves.

[alpha2omega]

Anyone that has any ties with CPDM should not exspect any form of sympathy from the well meaning people of the world. How can he tell such a tale and keep a straight face. I wouldn't be surprised if he goes back to Cameroon and carry on serving his old task masters. It defies believe that this guy started his career of crime against humanity at the ripe old age of 17. I truly hope when he gets to Cameroon he gets served a dose of what he dished out to others. Talk about the hunter becometh the hunted. Serves him right.

[Cameroon]

I hope this guy wanted to continue the same work (CIA)that he was doing for the CPDM back in Cameroon but luck was not on his side. He was sent to get Asylum so as to find out those that opposed the CPDM in Canada. He is going back to eat rats in New Bell with some of his collaborators that are there already. God bless him. Their time is running faster than the river emptying it self into the Sea. God is on our side.

[Tayong]

An aside, To the Postnewsline editor in chief:

The change in webblog might have been well intended but this is another example of good intentions gone wrong.

This new blog format is amateurish and childish. The fonts are deplorable and funny. This is supposed to be a blog for the major English speaking newspaper in Cameroon for that matter.

Guys think twice, this is not worth the blog of the postnewspaper! This is not just my opinion but of many,I bet you.

[nju Peter]

Hey Tayong,

Other than the new page banner, what exactly has changed from the previous postnewsline site? I don't see it...

Secondly, if I understand the opening note on this blog, it says that the post now has a new website so this site is no longer linked to The Post. Am I reading things wronglY?

[Danny Boy]

Mr. Tayong,
I endorse your feedback. Maybe tomorrow we will realise that we were old sticks in the mud. The old format looked pleasant to the eye and I miss it! "un point, un trait!".
Been having problems with my PC, which is why I had to go to a friend, if only to read my mails and offer a posting!!!
All is well now, touch wood!
Preparations for the Olympics are going on schedule. Please keep marking your card. I will be ready come the hour.
Happy Summer to you and all.

[terry]

i feel so sorry for him as an individual, but as a vent hole from POPO, he deserves what he got, cameroon being noted for its corruption, what makes he think Canada will even think about his plies..........poor thief

[anonymous]

no comment.

[balace]

this story was not well framed mr man