Cameroon Opposition Leader Confronts Court Action Concerning Election Unrest, Authorities Announces
The nation's Minister of the Interior Paul Atanga Nji has announced that political opponent Tchiroma Bakary will be prosecuted over allegations that he incited "aggressive electoral rallies".
At least 4 protesters have been fatally wounded during clashes between security forces and protesters since the presidential election on 12 October, with President Paul Biya, aged 92 winning an eighth term in office.
Issa Tchiroma maintains that he was the true winner, a assertion rejected by the governing party, the CPDM.
Violent crackdowns by police and security officers on protesters have worried the global community, with the United Nations, AU and European Union urging caution.
Minister's Accusations
Recently, the interior minister charged the opposition figure of organising what he labeled "unlawful" protests resulting in the loss of lives, and also criticised him for claiming win in the presidential race.
He further stated that the opposition leader's "co-conspirators involved in an subversive plot" will also undergo judicial processes.
Election Results
Cameroon's leader, who assumed office in 1982 and is now the most elderly national leader, won the 12 October vote with 53.7% of the vote, compared to just over a third for Tchiroma Bakary, according to the constitutional court.
Challenger's Position
Tchiroma Bakary is remains silent to the government's decision to prosecute him, but he had before declared that he would not accept a fraudulent outcome - and that he was undaunted of being detained.
When results were announced, he claimed that gunmen used lethal force on demonstrators assembled near his residence in the city of Garoua, killing at least two individuals.
Investigation Revealed
On Tuesday, the interior minister announced that an investigation would be launched into clashes before and after the declaration of the election results.
"Throughout the violence, some of the individuals involved were killed," he stated, without offering a exact count of demonstrators who have been lost their lives in the clashes.
The minister noted that a number of officers of the security forces also received serious injuries.
Present Conditions
While the interior minister maintained the condition throughout Cameroon was now under control, protesters remain active in some parts of the country, especially in urban centers, where protesters mounted obstructions on Tuesday, and ignited tyres on the streets.
Analysts caution that the post-electoral violence could lead the nation into a political crisis.