Left-wing Cameroonian opposition figure Anicet Ekane has died in detention, five weeks after he was arrested, his lawyers and party have announced.
Ekane, 74, was among the leaders of an opposition coalition who endorsed Issa Tchiroma Bakary in October's presidential election.
Tchiroma Bakary claims victory in the poll won officially by 92-year-old incumbent Paul Biya. Following the election, Tchiroma Bakary fled to The Gambia amid escalating political tensions.
No official cause of death for Ekane has been announced, though his party accuses authorities of denying him access to necessary medication, a claim the government has rejected.
According to a spokesman for Ekane's African Movement for New Independence and Democracy (Manidem) party, Ekane died on Monday morning at a military medical facility after his health deteriorated over the weekend.
We have no clarification... His wife had been called to come and when she found herself there, she was just presented the corpse of her husband, he shared.
The Defence Ministry's spokesman stated that Ekane suffered from multiple chronic illnesses and claimed he was well treated at the Military Medical Centre of the National Gendarmerie.
Ekane's lawyers reported that he faced accusations of hostility against the state and inciting insurrection without ever being presented before a judge or charged formally, labeling his detention as unlawfully executed.
In the wake of his death, supporters gathered to mourn at the party headquarters in Douala, expressing their anger online. The political atmosphere remains tense, with security forces reportedly surrounding Manidem's premises as authorities initiate an investigation into the circumstances of Ekane's death.
This incident highlights the ongoing tensions surrounding political dissent in Cameroon, particularly against the backdrop of a controversial presidential election outcome that has left many questioning the integrity of the electoral process.
