Police refuse to arrest thief from angry mob, blame Warders

Police in the Fiango neighbourhood in Kumba, Meme Division, Southwest Region, in the early hours of November 21, 2014, rejected a suspect thief from the hands of an angry mob on grounds that, each time the thief is sent to the Kumba Central Prison, he regains his freedom in a matter of hours.

The suspect thief whose name The Post got as Bissong aged 22, was reportedly caught by an anti criminal group set up by inhabitants of the Housa quarters, as he attempted to escape with his loot that morning.

He had received snake beatings from the population, in the course of which, he incurred injuries. His head had been disfigured with stones shot at him by passersby.

After the angry population had lost steam of trashing the bandit at dawn, some people suggested that, the thief be handed to the police for further action.

Bessong, The Post learnt, had robbed four homes between 4:00 am and 5:00 am, carting away money, mobile phones and other electronic valuables.

Other reports claimed that, the suspect thief had made away with the purse of a food seller in the neighbourhood containing FCFA 500,000. He is said to have maintained sealed lips regarding the whereabouts of the money and other household gadgets in his keeping.

At the police station, some police officers advised the angry mob to do whatever they deemed fit with the thief, even if it meant, carrying out mob justice on him. The security men said their fight against criminal activities especially break-ins are thwarted by Warders, because each time bandits are sent to the Kumba Central Prison, they easily buy their way out.

Following the action of the police, Bissong was ferried on a bike along Asapngu Street into the Kosala neighbourhood. Minutes after, the mother of the suspect thief surfaced in the crowd, pleading with the mob not to kill her son.

In the course of the wailing, another woman emerged pressing for the worst to happen to Bissong on allegations that, it is the same thief who has impregnated her 11 -year -old daughter.

Before the incident of November 21, Bissong had reportedly been chased away from four different compounds in the same neighbourhood, where he attempted to smuggle himself into some rooms.

One of the victims of the robbery recounted that, he was lying in bed, but suddenly discovered some one trying to carter his television set. The victim said when he asked who the person was; the thief gave him a fake name and escaped.

Cocaine Consumption On The Rise Meantime, the issue of break -ins and looting between 6:30 and 7:30 pm and from 4 am in the mornings in Kumba has been attributed to a rise in drug consumption among youths. The new menu on the drug market remains a brand of cocaine, which The Post learnt, the thieves consume before stepping out to operate.

The cocaine is reported to be sniffed alongside marijuana, which observers say gives the robbers a slim outlook and ables them to penetrate homes.

Another of such cases is that of a certain Valery Mbi currently in detention. Mbi reportedly broke into the house of a Bank Manager and made away with plasma television, mobile phones and other gadgets.

Bissong, The Post leant, is one of the inmates who regained freedom early this year thanks to the presidential clemency.