Shameful denouement

Senior Journalist sues colleagues for defamation
By Steve Macquens Balemba in Yaounde
The publisher of The Star, Kemayang Paul has brought a suit against Ndi Eugene Ndi, publisher of Newswatch and Franklin Sone Bayen, publisher of Mediapeople Newspaper, for allegedly smearing his image in the press. Ndi Eugene and Sone Bayen are expected to appear before the Limbe Judge on Wednesday, 30 July 2014; if found guilty they may be jailed for up to 5 years. Kemayang is also praying the court to grant him damage claims of up to 5 million fcfa.
    In a story published in Newswatch sometime in May 2014, Ndi Eugene Ndi accused Kemayang Paul and John Mbah Akuroh (President of Cameroon Anglophone publishers Association, CANPA) of syphoning some of the money they collected from some companies and senior state officials to organize a press freedom day event in Buea.

    Upon publication of the story, Kemayang Paul cried scandal, saying his hands were clean. He urged Ndi Eugene and any other persons who doubted his sincerity to carry out thorough investigations at all the places where he was alleged to have collected money. Kemayang, who is holder of a chieftaincy title (he was conferred with the title of Osari Maribo of Besong-Abang Village in Manyu Division) also urged Ndi Eugene to publish the findings of his investigations within the shortest delay.     Ndi Eugene did not do this. He rather promised to reveal further evidence of embezzlement by Kemayang and Akuroh, when they would have taken him to court. Both Kemayang and Akuroh are frontline crusaders for the decriminalization of press offences.
    For his part, Franklin Sone Bayern was dragged into the matter when he also relayed Ndi Eugene’s post-press freedom day story, in his newspaper-Mediapeople.
    Thus Ndi Eugene and Franklin Bayern are co-accused in the case. Hearing opens on Wednesday 30 August 2014 at the Limbe court.
    While some colleagues of the press have criticized Kemayang Paul for taking a purely press offence to court, the chief says court action is the only way that he can clear the air on the issue and reinstate his reputation. Kemayang says that his reputation was gravely damaged by the report and he wants the damage to be repaired without much delay.
    “I cannot allow the reputation that I built in 32 years of media practice to be dragged in the mud so easily. I crave the indulgence of colleages to understand my situation and to bear with me in this tricky matter,” said Chief Kemayang to The Median.
    Ndi Eugene Ndi for his part is inviting all those who have been urging him to publish part 11 of his story, to avail themselves in court, on Wednesday, and get further information on the embezzlement saga.
    Meanwhile, Franklin Bayen has described Chief Kemayang’s action as intended to intimidate and blackmail him into stopping the investigations that he opened into the mater. He says Kemayang and Akuroh should rather submit themselves to honorable accountability instead of resorting to court action. Bayen fears that he may be tried in a Kangaro court and sent to jail for practicing good journalism.