By Ikome Christie-Noella Eposi
A certain Emmanuel Ewome, former Municipal police at the Buea council was beaten to death by an angry population in Mile 16, Bolifamba after what they described as a failed assassination attempt on their chief, Kombe Simon.
Emmanuel Ewome is reported to have confessed before giving up the ghost that he was sent by the mayor of Buea, Ekema Patrick Esunge and one Prof Ndive Mbua to commit to kill the chief.
The accusations have been denied by the mayors communication unit as well as Prof. Mbua who called the allegations baseless and an attempt to drag his name and reputation into mud.
“I know absolutely nothing about the boy or whosoever sent him. This is all a set up but my hands are clean, investigations should be done in regard to this” Prof. Ndive Mbua said.
One of the Chief’s sons, Moses Lyonga Kombe, who was wounded on the back and the armes with a machete by the “assassins” told The SUN that;
“It was about 12.30 am on Sunday breaking Monday, when three boys dressed in Buea Council Police uniforms stormed the palace, armed with machetes, knives and other weapons. They invaded the palace in my absence because I went out that evening and only returned late. So, when I was entering the compound, I saw the three uninvited guests.
“When I pointed my torchlight at the three strangers, two of them ran away and the remaining one attacked me brutally but after a serious struggle, I managed to overcome him by revealing myself to him and lying to him that I was also a thief who came to steal from the chief… it was at this juncture that the guest leveled down and we began having a decent conversation and he revealed to me that he was sent by his boss to assassinate the chief.
“I (Moses Kombe Lyonga) tricked him and he fell into my trap. I overpowered him and that is how together with my siblings we called for help and the whole village was out.
“Since I was bleeding profusely, I past-out and only discovered myself in the hospital. It was only after recovering in the hospital the next day that I was told that the angry population carried out jungle justice on the hoodlum”, Moses Kombe narrated.
It should be noted that, this is not the first attempt by assailants to assassinate chief Kombe of mile 16. According to his son, there have been several previous attempts on the life of his father but fortunately, he has survived all.
He also added that his father has had and still has land issues with the Mayor and Professor Ndive Mbua.
Professor Ndiva Mbua however said though he has land disputes with the chief, he cannot stoop so low to kill the chief simply because of land.
He furthered that it is practically impossible for the mayor to send killers dressed in council uniforms. “This is all a political mess, very absurd and outrageous”, he angrily noted.
Some Municipal council police elements also corroborated Prof. Ndive’s story and added that the Mayor could not do such a terrible act.
The police has opened an investigation into the matter, to track down the other two persons who reportedly fled the scene and to bring out the truth behind all the allegations.