Tchiroma accuses RFI of bias reporting on Cameroon

By Sylvanus Ezieh Acha’ana in Yaounde

 

Communication minister, Issa Tchiroma Bakary has accused France’s propaganda radio, Radio France International, RFI of biased reporting. Tchiroma was speaking on October 3 on the sidelines of a comment he was making to journalists on the imprisonment of French-Cameroonian lawyer, Lydienne Eyoum.

The minister frowned at what he described as disrespect of the sovereignty of Cameroon and refusal of the right to objective information. “RFI is to France just like CRTV is to Cameroon, never have I asked any journalist of the state media to disrespect any country for what ever reason.” He hummed. He charged RFI of partial reporting in the incarceration of Lydienne Eyoum. RFI had reported that Eyoum, who was slammed a 25-year jail term by the Special Criminal Court for embezzling state funds had undergone a partial trial.

Tchiroma picked issues with the report in which he disclosed that RFI had granted space to Eyoum’s lawyers to make nonsense of the court judgment convicting the lawyer. He summoned the French radio to also make available the same space to state advocates to present the other side of the story. He refuted allegations by other outlets that the judgment was not fair.

Lydienne Eyoum, it should be recalled was advocating on behalf of the state of Cameroon in a matter pitting the latter and the Société Général des Banques au Cameroun, SGBC. The latter was convicted for retaining into her account a sum of money that was meant for state coffers. She claimed that the amount she retained was part of her dues as advocate for the state in the matter.

In the same court judgment, Gwen Olivier Honoré who is currently on the run was handed a life imprisonment term, including the seizure of her property while former finance minister, Polycarpe Abah Abah and Baleng Célestin, a sheriff bailiff were acquitted.

Tchiroma refused to comment on recent media reports on the alleged killing of the 1984 coup leader, Captain Guerrandi Mbara by secret services of the state. “Government does not comment on rumour,” he stated.