ANICET Ekane, leader of the Cameroonian opposition African Movement for New Independence and Democracy (MANIDEM), aged 74, has died in detention, five weeks after his arrest.
A long-time critic of President Paul Biya, Ekane was arrested in Douala, alongside other party members, on October 24 and later transferred to the Secretariat of State for Defence (SED) in Yaoundé.
The late politician was under investigation on charges of “hostility against the nation, incitement to revolt, and calling for protest”.
Ekane’s health was said to be fragile at the time of his arrest and became worse after he was transferred to the SED.
His lawyers and party announced his death on Monday.
According to a MANIDEM spokesperson, Ekane died at a military medical facility in the morning, after his health took a downturn over the weekend.