A statement from the U.S Department of Justice on Monday November 28 said the trio is charged for involvement in the kidnapping of the Fon of Nso HRH Sehm Mbinglo II and the late Christian Cardinal Tumi.
The arrest of Claude N. Chi, 40, Francis Chenyi, 49, Lah Nestor Langmi, 46, all of whom are U.S. citizens of Cameroonian origin, has sparked joy among victims of their atrocities in Cameroon. The statement said they may be sentenced separately to 3, 15 and 20 years in prison if found guilty of committing the three crimes listed in the indictment.
The three defendants “were arrested today (Monday) and made their initial court appearances in connection with an indictment, unsealed today, charging them for their roles in a conspiracy to provide material support or resources to a conspiracy to kidnap persons and use weapons of mass destruction in a foreign country [Cameroon]”, the statement said.”Chi, Chenyi and Langmi have supported and raised funds for separatist fighters in Cameroon since January 1, 2018. As alleged, they each held senior level positions within an organization that supported and directed the militant separatist group known as the Ambazonian Restoration Forces and other separatist fighters in Cameroon’s Northwest Region,” the statement said further.
Chi, Chenyi and Langmi allegedly solicited and raised funds for equipment, supplies, weapons and explosive materials to be used in attacks against Cameroonian government personnel, security forces and property, along with other civilians believed to be enabling the government. “These funds were raised through online chat applications and payment platforms from individuals located in the United States and abroad. The funds were then transferred from various financial and cryptocurrency accounts controlled by the defendants through intermediaries to the separatist fighters to support attacks in Cameroon”, the statement explained.
The three according to the statement raised up to 2.2 billion FCFA ($350,000) through voluntary donations. Chi, Chenyi and Langmi conspired with others to kidnap civilians in Cameroon and hold them for ransom. “In some instances, U.S. citizens were extorted for ransom payments to secure the release of their kidnapped relatives living in Cameroon. The ransom payments were subsequently transferred to the separatist fighters to fund their operations,” the Department of Justice said.
Jude VIBAN
