Police exploitation and corruption at Mbankomo checkpoint
A civil servant has expressed disatisfaction at behavior of Police Officers around Mbankomo in the centre region. The man who was traveeling at night was stopped by the Police who refsued to accept a receipt of his ID card as a legal document, until he “pays” something.
The incident happened on Friday, July 19th, 2024, around 10:00 PM.
“While traveling from Yaoundé to Buea, I was stopped at the checkpoint for an ID check. My ID card (receipt) had unfortunately expired 14 days prior. An officer singled me out and took me to a separate room, demanding that I “comply” with their request in exchange for continuing my journey. This is a clear attempt at extortion. I refused and informed the officer about the official communique against detaining citizens solely for expired ID cards. The officer tried to intimidate me by claiming the communique only applied to eight regions, threatening detention if I persisted.”
Despite explaining his employment with MINAT at the SDO’s office, the officer continued to harass him, the victim told CNA.
The situation escalated when another officer joined in. Fortunately, a gendarmerie officer intervened and upon learning the details, promptly returned his ID card and allowed him to proceed.
“This incident highlights a concerning pattern of exploitation and corruption by police officers at the Mbankomo checkpoint. I urge CNA to investigate this matter thoroughly. Such practices not only tarnish law enforcement’s reputation but also violate the rights of innocent Cameroonians.”
