By Annie Lum
Bogning Randolf Aku, a Mamfe based electrical engineer, business man and contractor was arrested in the morning of Tuesday June 6, 2023 while at his shop. He was arrested along side two of his workers by about five elements of the police force.
Preliminary investigations show that he was awarded a contract to revamp the electrical installations at the central police in Mamfe around April this year.
Sources close to him and who chose to share what they know about the arrest in anonymity say he had a problem with the Mamfe Central Police boss stemming from non payment of funds by the later.
“The police boss wanted him to sign that he had received all his money whereas he hadn’t. He had finished the contract they awarded to him some months back and was following up to have his payment. At some point he told me he was very disappointed in the police commissioner for not paying him all his money as promised. He said the Police commissioner was rather asking him to sign off that all payments had been made. He did not trust him and refused to sign. I am sure this is why he was arrested.” Our source said.
We tried to get in touch with the police commissioner for Mamfe but he declined all attempts to have him speak. However, we were able to hear from another police officer who is close to the case. He asked for his identity to be kept hidden.
“This case is very complicated and easy to be made to go away only if Randolf complies. He is a good guy who truly does not deserve what is happening to him now. He should just beg the commissioner and accept what they want him to do and he will be released. When you start hearing things like he is being charged for terrorism related issues then you can imagine the twist it has taken.” Our source at the Mamfe central police station told The SUN.
The police officers cryptic statement is suggestive of a possible scores settlement scenario between Randolf and the police boss. Armed groups have continued to intimidate citizens into yielding to very humiliating circumstances just to stay safe or avoid getting into further trouble.
Both the military and armed non state groups use intimidation to extort from unsuspecting civilians. The armed conflict has brought about an increase in human rights violations with the victims having little or nothing to do.
“Civilians fear to speak out, fearing arrest and implication with terrorism charges or being tried in military tribunals often located far from home. They now stomach all human rights violations and pray for a quick resolution of the Anglophone crisis. So many young persons have died in detention and government has said nothing about them.” Barrister John a human rights lawyer tells The SUN.