Left-wing Cameroonian opposition determine Anicet Ekane has died in detention, 5 weeks after he was once arrested, his legal professionals and birthday celebration have introduced.

Ekane, 74, was once a few of the leaders of an opposition coalition who counseled Issa Tchiroma Bakary in October’s presidential election.

Tchiroma Bakary says he was once the rightful winner of the ballot, formally gained by means of 92-year-old incumbent Paul Biya. Tchiroma Bakary has since fled to The Gambia.

No respectable explanation for Ekane’s demise has been introduced. His birthday celebration has accused the government of denying him get entry to to his drugs – a rate the federal government has denied.

According to a spokesman for Ekane’s African Movement for New Independence and Democracy (Manidem) birthday celebration, Ekane died on Monday morning at an army scientific facility, after his well being worsened over the weekend.

“We haven’t any rationalization… His spouse have been known as to come back and when she discovered herself there, she was once simply introduced the corpse of her husband,” he mentioned.

He added that the circle of relatives later took the corpse to the mortuary.

Defence ministry spokesman Capt Cyrille Serge Atonfack mentioned the Manidem chief had died from sickness, however didn’t give to any extent further main points.

“The deceased, who suffered from quite a lot of continual pathologies, have been interned on the Military Medical Centre of the National Gendarmerie,” he mentioned, including that the flesh presser have been smartly looked after by means of medical doctors since his arrest on 24 October.

According to Ekane’s legal professionals, he was once accused of hostility towards the state, incitement to rebel, and requires revolt.

“He was once by no means introduced sooner than a pass judgement on or charged with any misdemeanour,” mentioned one in all his legal professionals, Hippolyte Meli, in a commentary on social media, describing the detention of the Manidem birthday celebration chief as “unlawful”.

In fresh weeks, rumours had circulated that the opposition determine had died, and Ekane’s birthday celebration individuals had demanded to peer him “lifeless or alive”.

His demise has despatched shockwaves around the country, with supporters amassing on the birthday celebration headquarters in Douala to grieve. Others have taken to venting their anger on-line.

Manidem says its premises had been surrounded by means of safety forces.

Ekane first of all counseled any other colourful opposition determine, Maurice Kamto, for the presidential election. But Kamto, who persisted an extended detention after disputing the former election in 2018, had his candidacy rejected prematurely this time by means of each the electoral frame, Elecam, and the Constitutional Council, at the grounds that the birthday celebration had counseled a couple of candidate.

Ekane and different politicians went directly to create the Union for Change Coalition with different politicians, which named former govt spokesman Tchiroma Bakary as its candidate.

Authorities say an investigation has been introduced to resolve the precise cases of Ekane’s demise.

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DISCLAIMER: The Views, Comments, Opinions, Contributions and Statements made by means of Readers and Contributors in this platform don’t essentially constitute the perspectives or coverage of Multimedia Group Limited.