Olive Ejang Tebug Ngoh
14 July 2008
After three months in detention, 51-year-old Pierre Roger Lambo Sandjo, aka Lapiro de Mbanga, has been charged with inciting youths and causing destruction of property during the February strike action in Mbanga.
Lapiro Appeared and was arraigned in court on July 9 and was formally charged.In the first count, the Divisional Officer for Mbanga Sub Division, Simon Nkwenti, accused Lapiro of rallying youths in Mbanga who caused the riot.
Besides, the Manager of SDPC, Robert Eboumbou, in the second count, indicted Lapiro for destroying valuables worth several millions in the company during the strike.A mammoth crowd that turned out for the trial were disappointed when the presiding judge, Michel Ntyame Ntyame, adjourned the case to July 23, for hearing.
Ntyame told the court that since the plaintiffs, Nkwenti and Eboumbou were absent; the matter could not be heard.He urged the court to inform the absentees to be present during the next hearing.
Meanwhile, Lapiro was remanded at the Nkongsamba Principal Prison.The artist, who came to court in chains, said life is unbearable in prison. With regards to his reported deteriorating health, he said he is a little better though still sick. He said the prison condition in Nkongsamba is horrible, compared to Mbanga.
Lapiro lamented the fact that his trial has taken so long.But the senior State Counsel for Nkongsamba, Jean Pierre Bifouna Ndongo, told The Post that Lapiro was brought to court in chains because the charges against him are serious.
He said leaving him in chains would deter him from escaping from prison, and stand his trial to the end.
Lapiro Not Sick
According to Bifouna, Lapiro is not sick as his wife claimed. He said the musician is physically fine and healthy and would only be released if the court finds him innocent on the charges against him.
The State Counsel insisted that they have people who shall testify in court whether the accused actually rallied youths to strike in Mbanga or not.At the Nkongsamba Principal Prison, friends and relatives bribed warders with FCFA 500 to talk with Lapiro through a small hole.
Shame On Musicians
A musician, Joe Kameni alias Joe La Conscience, who visited Lapiro at the prison, told The Post that it was shameful that Cameroonian artists have failed to stand behind Lapiro during the trying moments.
Joe La Conscience, who was also imprisoned at Kondengui, for causing the February strike, was released on June 16, after the presidential clemency on May 20.He said even when he was imprisoned; no member of the music family did anything to cause the government to release them.
"Now that I am free, I have decided to fight for Lapiro, my brother in the struggle, with whom we condemned the controversial amendment of the 1996 Constitution," he stated.
He brandished a petition to the Minister of Culture, Ama Tutu Muna where they are urging her to intervene for the release of Lapiro.
Under the banner of Joe and Co International Committee to fight for the rights of political prisoners, the petitioners, in their communiqué, reminded the minister of Lapiro's contributions towards the political evolution and democracy in Cameroon.They are calling for the immediate release of Lapiro.
Human Rights Activist Condemns Detention
Human Rights activist, Churchill Samba of Global Conscience Initiative Kumba, has condemned the detention of Lapiro and says it is an abuse of his constitutional and human rights of presumption of innocence.
According to him, the magistrate holding him should personally know that he is liable under national and international human rights laws in the event of Lapiro's acquittal.Samba said the fact that the accused is in chains tells of his persecution rather than prosecution.
"Lapiro's situation is a clear case of gross human rights violation that exposes the non independence of the Cameroon judiciary," Samba said.
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