Lawyers run-for-life under threat of policeman’s gun

Some Southwest-based lawyers, last weekend, were sent fleeing into the bush when a police officer, at a checkpoint on the Kumba-Mamfe Road, trained his gun on their vehicle, following misunderstandings over the English language, The Post has learnt.

The advocates had travelled to Manyu Division for a funeral and were on their way back to Kumba when they encountered the element of public security at a checkpoint around Nguti.

According to eyewitness accounts, one of the advocates first questioned the officer on his approach towards their vehicle. The eyewitness recounted that the lawyer asked the police officer why he was embarrassing people instead of carrying out his duties as prescribed by law.

It is reported that the officer, who probably did not understand the meaning of the word "embarrass" questioned angrily in French why they had abused him. The officer is reported to have retorted in French: “Tu m'abuse embarass..... attend, j’ arrive.” Our source recounted that it was at this juncture that the police officer went into his make-shift post and brought out his gun threatening to shoot everybody in the vehicle. The source said as the officer raised his gun and aimed it at the vehicle, its occupants, including the lawyers, jumped out and fled into the bush.

The lawyers are said to have only come out of the bush after a retired soldier who was among the passengers skillfully retrieved the gun from the hands of the police officer. Our source stated that the police officer surrendered his gun to the retired soldier after he mentioned his batch and ‘matricule’ number in military academy.

The Post gathered that it was only after the whole drama that the officer was made to understand that the occupants of the vehicle were mostly lawyers. He is reported to have apologised after it was explained to him that nobody abused him.

However, reports say the same officer has been noted for harassing travellers and motorists on the said stretch of road.