By Sandra Lum
Arrested on October 14, 2021 in relation to the Southern Cameroons National Council activities, Edumebong William spent six weeks in military detention. He died less than two months after his release from military custody.
The Sun Newspaper spoke to close family members of the former police officer who revealed that he was tortured while in the military’s custody. According to family members, his UK based daughter JEANNE EBANE ATABE EDUMEBONG and a frontline diaspora activist for the liberation of Southern Cameroons was the reason for Mr. William Edumebong’s arrest.
“Our family members have seen so many attacks since this crisis escalated and the government started going after families of people in the diaspora. The military has never stopped looking for her. Family members have been tortured in attempt to force them to reveal where she is hiding but since she is not even in the country, they always go back to come again another day with more threats.” Our source within the family said.
Jeanne’s father died on February 11, 2022 after developing some health complications while in military detention.
“After struggling with the lawyers to secure his release, we were charged FCFA 700,000 which we paid before he was released to us on bail”. A close family member told The SUN.
“From all indications he was kept under deplorable conditions while in detention and was tortured severally too. When we succeeded to bail him out, we noticed he was very sick so we took him to the hospital. He was in the hospital for close to two months and all efforts to stabilize his health failed. He then died on February 11, 2022 which was a ghost town day with no movements in town due to the separatists imposed lockdown in an attempt to frustrate February 11, celebrations.” Our source added.
His sister is very categorical that their brother died in the place of his daughter who has been very active with SCNC liberation campaigns in the UK. According to her, Jeanne is one of the young persons who got into SCNC activities while still very young and her involvement is considered to have endangered the lives of many in the family including her own life.
Jeanne Ebane Atabe Edumebong is a 36 year old Cameroonian lady that has been in the UK for over 10 years and is believed to be very instrumental in the planning of Southern Cameroons National Council Activities in the Diaspora.
The SUN gathered that she was an active youth member of the SCNC in her university days and had actually been made treasurer of one of wings.