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September 21, 2011

Martin FON YEMBE Arrested For Mobilizing Southern Cameroonians For October 1

By Fonba Bondi Lyzor in Bamenda



Mr. Yembe Martin Fon was arrested this morning, September 19, 2011 at the
Bamenda Commercial Avenue on allegations that he was distributing publicity
materials aimed at mobilizing and sensitizing Southern Cameroonians to be in
Buea come October 1, 2011. Martin Yembe had just finished distributing some
copies of the Political Punch which carried very shouting publicity
captioned " All Roads Lead to Buea ... October 1, 2011...Southern Cameroons
D-Day. To Commemorate 50 years of the frozen independence of Southern
Cameroons.....BE THERE!.

It will appear Mr. Yembe had completed his task and was addressing some
political leaders, especially the North West Coordinator for Hon. Paul Ayah,
Mr. Caspa Frankline. Yembe had been carrying out a Vox Pop along the
Commercial Avenue as to what the people in Bamenda were preparing for "
October 1 in Buea" or " October 9 Presidential Elections"?
It was then that this police agent from GMI, one Magaji Ernest ( Inspector)
held Yembe down, assisted by four others. A few minutes after Yembe had
taken up lecturing the crowd and the police on how it was President Biya
himself who had addressed the nation on December 31 that October 1 will be
celebrated ( commemorated). Yembe brandished a copy of the Cameroon Tribune
of Lundi 03 2011, with the Head of State's Speech harping on the British
trusteeship of Southern Cameroons having her independence and joining the
already independent La Republique du Cameroun.

Yembe further questioned the officers whether they have arrested Mbella Moki
Charles, the CPDM Mayor of Buea who has been talking of the preparedness of
Buea for the event come October 1. Being dumbfounded and realizing that they
had met a very tough force, the Police Inspector and a few gendarmes who had
gathered there to check the steaming crowd called the Commissioner of the
GMI.

Meantime, lectures continued. Ni John Fru Ndi of SDF called Hon. Ayah's
coordinator whose phone was on then and told Yembe and Caspa not to move
from there until he arrived. So, Yembe took the time in giving out lectures
to the crows that never stopped cheering aand concurring that they will all
be in Buea. The police men were visibly embarrased and humiliated until
their Commissioner arrived. At that point, Yembe and PAP coordinator were
walked to the waiting taxi and , helmed on both sides by police men, were
whisked off to the GMI Police station.

At the GMI, there were stories that Yembe is SCNC, trying to stir people to
destabilize the forthcoming elections, while there were slangs thrown on
Hon Paul Ayah's man. The two refused speaking for three hours, and were
transferred to the Police Central Station at Old Town Bamenda where a lot of
ping pong took place from one office to the other. Even Hon Ayah's Lawyer
that was sent, Amazzee who came in, abandoned the two when he saw Yembe with
their man and the handouts advertising the Buea event!!

When Yembe Martin and Caspa Frankline finally accepted to write their
statements, they insisted that they will leave the police station only after
seeing the Governor and asking him whether:

(1) It was illegal for a Presidential Candidate's representative to talk to a journalist, even on the Southern Cameroons issue; and

(2) whether it is a taboo to discuss Buea October 1 which was decreed by President Paul Biya himself.

At this juncture, both put down their statements, with Yembe's emphasizing on the
fact that as a journalist and a human rights reporter, he had the right and
was excited to find out from people their feelings about Buea 2011.
Surprisingly, after the statements, and being taken back into the detention
room, the Commissioner himself, Sone John Ewang ( Senior Sperintendant of
Police ...Six stars) invited the two into his office just when Mr. Nwacham
Thomas ( a member of the Patriotic Coalition Front) came in, ready to
release them on bail).

After some very apologetic remarks, the Commissioner asked the two to leave
without any bail. Caspa and Yembe both took the opportunity to share the
meaning of elections, on the one hand, and the |October 1, 2011 events on
the other hand. Nwacham who had procured the bail forms was so hot that he
started declaring there that Yembe's case was child's play as he was going
to engage in very serious publicity on the event, brandishing a copy of the
Cameroon Tribune with the Speeech of Paul Biya on the October 1, 2011
celebrations.

It should be noted that Yembe and Caspa spent seven hours in detention and
there was high tension in the streets of Bamenda. His release calmed tension
as he proceeded to the same spot at Commercial Avenue to quell the furious
crowd that was already growing impatient. Yembe and Caspa were not tortured.

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