Cameroon Opposition Leader Confronts Court Action Over Electoral Turmoil, Authorities Says
The nation's Minister of the Interior Paul Atanga Nji has declared that opposition leader Issa Tchiroma Bakary will undergo legal proceedings over allegations that he incited "violent election protests".
A minimum of four protesters have been fatally wounded during clashes between police and military and opposition supporters since the presidential election on 12 October, with President Paul Biya, aged 92 securing an eighth consecutive term.
Tchiroma Bakary maintains that he emerged victorious, a assertion dismissed by the incumbent party, the CPDM.
Forceful measures by police and security officers on demonstrators have worried the global community, with the United Nations, African Union and EU demanding restraint.
Official's Claims
Recently, Nji charged the opposition figure of organising what he labeled "unlawful" protests resulting in the fatalities, and also rebuked him for claiming win in the election.
He further stated that Tchiroma Bakary's "accomplices behind an rebellious scheme" will also be prosecuted.
Vote Outcome
Paul Biya, who assumed office in the early 80s and is now the world's oldest head of state, obtained the 12 October vote with over half of the vote, compared to 35.2% for Tchiroma Bakary, according to Cameroon's Constitutional Council.
Leader's Stance
Issa Tchiroma is yet to respond to the government's decision to prosecute him, but he had previously announced that he rejected a rigged election - and that he was fearless of being arrested.
When results were announced, he claimed that armed men used lethal force on protesters assembled near his residence in Garoua, causing the death of at least 2 people.
Inquiry Revealed
Earlier this week, the interior minister disclosed that an probe would be launched into unrest surrounding the announcement of the vote outcome.
"Throughout the violence, some of the criminals lost their lives," he said, without providing a precise figure of demonstrators who have been lost their lives in the confrontations.
The minister further mentioned that several personnel of the police and military also received major harm.
Ongoing Circumstances
Even though the interior minister maintained the condition nationwide was now under control, protesters continue to protest in certain regions of the country, especially in Douala and Garoua, where protesters established roadblocks on Tuesday, and set fire to tires on the streets.
Analysts alert that the political turmoil could plunge the country into a leadership vacuum.