The gunning down of a six-year-school girl by a gendarme and his eventual lynching by a mob last Thursday threw a cloud of awe on Buea that spread throughout the country.
The army spokesperson Atonfack Guemo Cyrille-Serge in a statement said the “driver” of the car wherein Enondiale Tchuengia Carolaise was shot dead refused to stop at the checkpoint in Bokova, Buea. “Refusing to comply, the driver continued in his momentum by accelerating to escape towards the Molyko Omnisports Stadium, where he will be caught by two gendarmes launched after him,” he said in a statement on Thursday.
One of the gendarmes, Achille Mvogo opened fire and his bullet passed through the rear screen of the car and “fatally shot” the girl who was on the backseat “in the head”, the spokesperson said.
Government says the reaction of the gendarme was “disproportionate”. The Minister of Communication, and Government spokesperson Rene Sadi in a statement said: “The Minister Delegate at the Presidency of the Republic in charge of Defence has expressed regret at the occurrence of this incident, after describing the reaction of the gendarme involved as inappropriate, unsuitable to the circumstance – irreverent behaviour of the driver.”
Government announced it was opening an investigation to “shed light on the exact circumstances of this incident”. “And establish responsibilities,” the government statement added.
But Achille Mvogo will not answer any questions as he was killed by a mob. The Catholic Bishop of Buea Micheal Bibi condemned the jungle justice meted on the gendarme. “Even when people by their actions dishonour the dignity of others, or deprive them of human life, as the case in hand, we must still recognize their human dignity and right to life, which cannot be lost even by the vilest offence,” Bishop Bibi said. He asked for “more restraint” from security forces when carrying out operations in the two crisis-affected regions.
Jude VIBAN
