Buea: Young boy escapes death after set ablaze for theft

By Nadesh E.

A young “Junky” in his early 20s working at the Mile 17 motor park in Buea, South West region, is receiving treatment at a health facility in Buea after being rescued by a good Samaritan from mob justice last Saturday, December 17, 2022.

The young man known at the park as one of those helping drivers and passengers to load and offload luggage was accused of stealing FCFA 35.000 from a bus driver. He is said to be among the many “junkies” (drug addicts) that have been banned by drivers from entering the park.

CNA caught up with more than five vendors at the park who explained the story as it happened. Many attested to the fact that it was Stella’s wailing that prompted the rescue of this boy.

According to a bread vendor, as early as 6:30 AM that Saturday, while they rushed to buy bread from suppliers, there was a large crowd at Mile 17, gathered around a young man seated on the bare floor. It wasn’t the gathering as a result of theft. The victim in question was naked and beaten with sticks and stones. Despite the pain, he kept denying stealing the said money.
The mob was determined to set the boy ablaze as an example to others stealing and harassing passengers and drivers at the park.

When persons approached and tried talking the crowd out of their decision to roast a human being because of 35.000frs, they pushed them away.

Another fruit vendor who tried the same was chased, beaten, and tagged as an accomplice but managed to escape the wrath of the mob.

Mile 17 vendors have added that the strained relationship between park boys and drivers was another thing fueling the urge for the drivers to roast this boy alive.
They say both parties have been at loggerheads for over two months since park boys beat up a driver to the hospital level for stopping them from harassing his passengers. Drivers claim park boys steal from them and their passengers and the non-sense had to stop, he was the scapegoat.

After beating the young man for a long, some drivers in the mob decided to set the victim ablaze. Some brought tyres while another person brought fuel and poured it on him. He was set ablaze immediately.

Tambe Bakor, a bread vendor, and mother of one, popularly known at the park as Stella rushed immediately to a nearby restaurant to seek help since everyone around was in support of the roasting. Luckily for her, there was a good Samaritan who wasn’t in support of the act. He rose immediately to his feet, seized a bucket of water, and followed the direction from which she was coming. He poured the water immediately on the burning young man and the fire ceased.

At this point, another good Samaritan quickly rushed the victim to the hospital to save his life. After some questioning, the boy insisted he didn’t steal the money but his friend may have done so. He recalled he saw his friend beside the said car collecting something but couldn’t make out what it was.

At press time, the young man was said to be receiving treatment though many didn’t know his whereabouts. Moreover, no arrests nor investigations have been going on since the incident.

When asked why he wailed for the boy, Stella explain 35.000frs is not worth the life of a human being. “As a mother, I know the pains I went through to have my child. I can’t be in support of such an inhumane act,” she said.

Mob justice is one of the killing factors in Cameroon. A young man died in Bomaka earlier this year due to mob justice. Many have died as a result of actions taken against them by the population, especially since the beginning of the NoSo crisis. Again, the crisis has brought about excessive access to and intake of drugs by youths which is causing them to misbehave. Less has been done to help them out of this mess and the situation doesn’t seem to have a solution anytime soon.