By DOH JAMES SONKEY
Detained President of the Cameroon Renaissance Movement, CRM, Prof Maurice Kamto has hinted his international lawyer, French born, Eric Dupond Moritti that he is ready and opened to talk with President Paul Biya on his alleged stolen victory at the October 7, 2018 Presidential election in Cameroon.
The international lawyer disclosed that “Prof Maurice Kamto confided in me that he is ready to talk with President Biya over his stolen victory.”
Eric Dupond Moritti accompanied by his associate, Antoine Bell and their Cameroon peers led by Barrister Sylvain Suoup made the revelation last March 16, 2019 in Yaounde during a press conference on his fact-finding mission to the Yaounde Kondengui Central Prison where he discussed with the detained leader of the Cameroon Renaissance Movement, CRM, Prof Maurice Kamto and some of the close to 200 militants.
After describing the arrest and detention of political leaders; Prof Maurice Kamto, Albert Dzongang and other CRM militants as illegal and arbitrary, Eric Dupond Moritti decried that “I do not know if their peaceful march was authorized but it seems no march is authorized for the opposition in Cameroon. The detainees complained to me that they were transported in inhumane and degrading circumstances for over 6 hours when arrested as men and women were handcuffed like thieves. Some of the menstruating women were not even allowed to take care of themselves.”
The international lawyer who arrived the country via the Yaounde Nsimalen International Airport last March 15, 2019 threatened that “I envisage to take the Kamto case to the international level if the regime is bent at prosecuting him and his militants.”
Eric Dupond Moritti accompanied by his associate, Antoine Bell and their Cameroon peers led by Barrister Sylvain Souop pointed out at the press conference that Cameroon has signed and ratified international legal instruments with the United Nations and the African Union stipulating that civilians are not allowed to be tried in military courts.
The lawyers nonetheless expressed the wish to see that Cameroon authorities return to the way of wisdom and appeasement in the handling of Prof Kamto’s case in order to avoid further international embarrassment.
It is worth recalling that in a recent communiqué, Cameroon’s Communication Minister and Government Spokesperson, Rene Emmanuel Sadi had vehemently refuted allegations that Prof Maurice Kamto and CRM militants were detained as political prisoners. The Minister insisted that Prof Kamto and Co effectively committed civil offences and are on pretrial detention to defend charges levied against them in court.