Rebecca Enonchong has spent her third night at the Douala Gendarmerie Legion and nothing seems to show that she will be released any sooner.
According to Edith Kah Walla, President of the Cameroon’s People party sharing updates on the case, Rebecca Enonchong’s lawyers who are eight in number have been trying to meet the Attorney General and the Magistrate since Wednesday August 11 to no avail.
The recent try was on Thursday August 12. The tech guru was supposed to appear before the Magistrate at the Bonanjo Court of First Instance in Douala to explain herself and see if she can be released to appear free.
After waiting for the whole day, she was notified that they would extend her detention for a third night at the Douala Gendarmerie Legion on grounds that they want to hear witnesses. As indicated above, efforts by her lawyers to see the Magistrate were all fruitless.
The Cameroonian-born tech entrepreneur who lives in the US is accused of ‘contempt of court’ in affair opposing her with her brother. There is no complaint against her, except of a verbal order by the Attorney General according to Edith Kah Walla.
Many have seen in this an attempt to “punish” the 54-year-old tech guru who is well known for her critical stands as far as Governments actions are concerned.
The alert on her detention was given by Edith Kah Walla on Tuesday August 10 and since then, calls have been multiplying to demand for her immediate and unconditional release. An online campaign dubbed #FreeRebecca has been on since then.
Rebecca Enonchong is best known in Africa for being the founder of AppsTech, which operates in the US and Cameroon, and for co-founding the African Business Angels Network, which promotes early-stage investment in startups in the continent. With over two decades as an entrepreneur, she is a highly revered figure on African tech and innovation.
Investors and key figures in Africa’s tech scene are petitioning for her release. AfriLabs, the largest network of innovation hubs on the continent where Enonchong is board chair, described her arrest as “a blatant disregard for the rule of law,” especially because there seemed to be no warrant for her arrest.
S.K.
