Paul Chouta, journalist and popular whistleblower critical of government who was detained following a defamation and alleged fake news publication complaint that was brought against him by the novelist, Calixthe Belaya has finally been freed.
The court verdict was finally passed in Yaounde Wednesday 19 May 2021. The case of the reporter for the Cameroun Web media outlet had suffered 27 adjournments. The court judgment sentenced him to 23 months in prison and ordered him to pay a fine of FCFA 160,000 and a further FCFA 2 million in damages.
Chouta was alleged to have posted online a video of Belaya in a heated argument with a man without seeking her permission. The video lasted just a few minutes and as a result he was held for two years in pre-trial detention.
He served 24 months before the judgment sentencing him to 23 months was delivered. As such, Chouta was only left with raising funds to pay the charges and damages as indicated by the verdict. The treatment on the journalist has been condemned by Reporters Without Borders, RWB.
“Not only has Paul Chouta had to face court proceedings and a long period of detention, but he must now pay an exorbitant sum to be able finally to leave prison,” said RWB.
“The verdict is the culmination of a farcical case. There is no justification for such a long detention and final verdict unless it is an attempt to silence a troublesome voice. We call on Cameroon’s justice authorities to take firm action to protect freedom of news and information and to ensure that journalists have the right to fair treatment by the judicial system in the country,” added RWB in a release.
Chouta had been a target of attack before his arrest over stories that were critical of the government. He was the target of a knife attack by three unidentified assailants few months to his arrest. Aside Chouta, many other journalists are also in prison in Cameroon. Cameroon is ranked 135th out of 180 countries in the 2021 World Press Freedom Index compiled by RSF.
By Doh Bertrand Nua
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