Cameroon soldiers AFP
Cameroon’s Ministry of Defense has declined responsibility for the crimes committed by three of the country’s soldiers arrested on May 20 for attempted armed robbery in Togo.
The Head of the Communication Division at the Defense Ministry, Capitaine De Frégate Atonfack Guemo in a press release Saturday, May 30, 2020 says the soldiers in question had “broken off organic links with the Service and are completely detached from the Service.”
Guemo explains that on Thursday, May 28, 2020, a viral video appeared on the blogosphere of a report by a Togolese television channel, dealing with an operation by the Togolese Judicial Police that led to the arrest of five Cameroonian nationals, suspected of illegal possession of weapons and attempted armed robbery.
The Ministry of Defence says the five alleged armed robbers arrested on May 20, 2020 in Lomé include: the gang’s ringleader, 32-year-old Ntanga Mogo Clement Didier alias “Tony” as well as 31-year-old Amadjoba Aboubakar alias “Ibrahim”, 23-year-old Kameni Kevin, 32-year-old Sergeant Oumarou Abdou Fadil and 31-year-old Sergeant Ewoundjo Elle Serges Hubert alias “Tokyo”.
The suspects are said to have tried to snatch a heavy-duty vehicle from a Togolese businessman with the aid of a firearm. They were seeking to satisfy an obscure order, the press release said.
Capitaine De Frégate Atonfack Guemo explains that the home search of the five alleged bandits in Lomé led to the seizure of two automatic pistols, one of which was a Tokarev pistol with a 6-cartridge magazine. “According to the statements made by the accused, this weapon is said to have come from a certain Essimbi Francis, a soldier serving as weapons storekeeper at the Yaoundé Headquarters Brigade (BQG).”
“Initial investigations conducted by the competent services of the Ministry of Defence have revealed that the three soldiers who are notoriously dishonest with the Service and presumed to have contributed or directly participated in the incriminated acts have already been clearly identified,” said Guemo.
The Head of the Communication Division at Cameroon’s Ministry of Defence says their investigations indict:
“Private First Class Essimbi Francis (service number T15/24250), previously serving at the Headquarters Brigade. The latter had been placed at the disposal of the Territorial Gendarmerie Brigade of Melen in Yaoundé, on 6 March, 2020, for loss of an important piece of equipment, 1 automatic pistol, and was the subject of flagrante delicto report (Report No. 192/2020 of 11 March 2020), before being remanded in custody by the Military Prosecutor at the Yaoundé Military Court at the Yaoundé Military Prison, for violation of orders and dissipation of military equipment. Born on 23 September 1995 in Mbassam II, in the Soa Subdivision, and holder of Identity Card No. 100957911 of 21 February 2019 in Yaoundé;
“Sergeant Oumarou Abou Fadil (service number T11/16829 ), previously working at the Headquarters Brigade, declared deserted since 23 March 2020 (Official Telegram No. 200068/MP/RMIA1/BQG/1st BI of 19 March 2020), for having, without authorization or relief, left his sentry post at the National Printing Press, taking with him his package, without arms or ammunition. He was born on 1st January 1988 in Garoua, and holder of Identity Card No. 1147884866 of 3rd March 2013 in Yaoundé;
“Petty Officer Eoundjo Elle Serges Hubert (service number 11/13478), born on 4th November 1989 in Sangmélima, holder of Identity Card No. 1104229338 of 5th January 2011 in Sangmélima, previously serving in the National Navy. The desertion procedure initiated against him at the time is still under away.”
Capitaine De Frégate Atonfack Guemo notes that investigations have established that the alleged gang leader, Ntanga Mogo Clement Didier alias “Tony”, born on 19 September 1988 in Yaoundé, and holder of Identity Card No. 110724721, issued on 29 September 2010 in Yaoundé, “is a dangerous convicted gang member, a multi-recidivist, sentenced several times to prison terms, and currently wanted by the Judicial Police Directorate in Yaoundé, which has registered several complaints of citizens abused by him.”
He says the regulatory, disciplinary and administrative procedures provided for in the texts in force in the Defense Forces have all been initiated within the prescribed time limits against the erring soldiers.
“The security and judicial investigations already opened and conducted by the Military Security Division and the Centre Gendarmerie Legion will help clarify all the contours of these serious acts.”
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