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Congolese journalist arrested, charged with armed robbery, weapons possession for criticising Governor on radio

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A Congolese journalist, Sébastien Mulamba, who is known for his criticism of the government, has been arrested and faces charges bordering on armed robbery, weapons possession and criminal association.

A media rights watchdog, Committee to Protect Journalists (CPJ), reported on Thursday that Mulamba, a private journalist and director of the independently owned Kisangani News, was arrested on April 21 at his home following his critical comments about the province’s governor on a radio programme.

While calling on the Congolese authorities to release Mulamba, drop the charges and stop harassing him, the CPJ also called for an investigation into the raid on his home.

Narrating the circumstances surrounding the arrest of Mulamba, Angela Quintal, CPJ’s Africa program coordinator, said:

“At around 3 a.m. on April 21, police arrested Mulamba, a journalist and director of the privately owned Kisangani News, at his home in Kisangani, the capital of the northern Tshopo province, after he appeared as a guest commentator on local radio programs.

“Mulamba and Ernest Mukula, a representative of the National Union of Congolese Press in Kisangani, both told CPJ that they believe the arrest is in retaliation for Mulamba’s guest commentary on the “Orient Hebo” program, broadcast by Radio Flamboyant Orient at Kisangani University.

“During the program, Mulamba repeatedly criticized the governor of the Tshopo province, Abibu Sakapela.

“Congolese authorities should drop the charges against Sébastien Mulamba and thoroughly investigate the violent raid on his home.

“Journalists in the Democratic Republic of the Congo are too often subjected to violent harassment and detention,” Quintal said.

A court date has not been scheduled for the journalist but according to Articles 85 and 150 of the Congolese penal code, if convicted, Mulamba faces the death penalty.

Metro

Death toll in Senegal violence rises as police clash with protesters

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The death toll in the violence that erupted following the sentencing of Senegalese opposition leader, Ousmane Sonko has risen after one more person was killed on Friday, as police and protesters clashed for a second day running.

The clashes had sprung up on Thursday after Sonko was jailed for two years by a Dakar court on charges of “corrupting the youths”, and quickly spread to several cities in the country, leading to nine deaths, with properties and vehicles set ablaze by the protesters.

The rioting mob had attacked supermarkets, shops, banks, police stations and public transport networks.

In a national broadcast on Saturday morning, Interior Ministry spokesperson, Maham Ka said another person was killed in the southern town of Cap Skirring where protesters targeted a gendarmerie.

Ka said though the situation was now “mainly under control”, the few remaining “incursions” were being handled.

“If demonstrations had remained peaceful, there would be no issue,” he said.

He further described the protests as “gratuitous violence” and congratulated security forces for their interventions.

The riots on Thursday and Friday are the latest in months of violence in Senegal which was sparked by Sonko’s court case as well as fears that President Macky Sall will try to bypass a two-term limit and run again in presidential elections scheduled for February next year.

The 48-year-old Sonko was first arrested two years ago and accused of raping a woman who worked in a massage parlour in 2021, when she was 20, and making death threats against her.

A criminal court cleared Sonko of rape but found him guilty of an offence described in the penal code as immoral behaviour toward individuals younger than 21, in a case the opposition say is politically motivated to prevent Sonko from running in elections next year.

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Cameroonian traditional ruler released by Ambazonia separatists after 18 months

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A prominent Cameroonian traditional ruler who was kidnapped by Amazonian separatists in the country’s restive Northwest region has been released after spending 18 months in captivity, government officials said in a statement on Saturday.

The statement said the traditional ruler, Fon Kevin Shumitang, who is also the president of the Northwest region’s House of Chiefs and vice President of the Northwest Regional Assembly, was reportedly rescued by the military during a clash with the rebels during the week.

The statement stated that the military freed Shumitang from a separatist camp in Bui, in the Northwest region on Thursday morning while several fighters were killed in the encounter.

The Governor of the region, Deben Tchoffo, who confirmed the rescue of Shumitang in a statement on Saturday, said the traditional leader’s release showed that authorities were gradually restoring order after years of separatist unrest.

“I would like to congratulate military men that carried out the operation,” said Tchoffo.

“They have been able to take back the Fon of Bambalang. Indeed, it is coming to confirm that things are coming back bit by bit normally in almost all the major parts on the Northwest region,” he added.

According to Tchoffo, the traditional ruler was abducted from his palace in the town of Bambalang by the Amazonian fighters led by one of its commanders, General No Pity, on December 7, 2021.

However, one of the leaders of the Ambazonia Peoples Rights Advocacy Platform, Capo Daniel, in a separate statement, said Shumitang was not rescued by the military but was released by the group after months of negotiations.

“The Cameroon government arrested 15 family members of No Pity and transferred them to Yaounde,” Capo Daniel said.

“Both of them were used to pressurize No Pity to come to a compromise to release the Fon of Bambalang.

“That is exactly what happened. There was no military operation. The Fon was released and then handed over to the Cameroon authorities. We expect officials to release No Pity’s family members in the days ahead as agreed during negotiations.”

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