Mesmin Kangeulieu and Bonny Philippe, programme director and sportscaster, respectively, of Radiotélévision Siantou (RTS), a private station broadcasting from the capital, Yaounde, were ordered to appear in court on 10 June 2004 to respond to defamation charges brought by former Lions Indomptables junior soccer team trainer Jean-Paul Akono. Akono filed his lawsuit on 22 April. […]
Mesmin Kangeulieu and Bonny Philippe, programme director and sportscaster, respectively, of Radiotélévision Siantou (RTS), a private station broadcasting from the capital, Yaounde, were ordered to appear in court on 10 June 2004 to respond to defamation charges brought by former Lions Indomptables junior soccer team trainer Jean-Paul Akono.
Akono filed his lawsuit on 22 April. He has accused the two journalists of defaming him in a 16 March broadcast in which they reported on apparent irregularities in the selection of players for the national soccer team, which Akono allegedly presided over through an intermediary identified only as “Willy”.
According to Akono, during the broadcast in question, Philippe reportedly said there was “no doubt that selection of the national team had been influenced by payouts of ‘gombo’ [local slang for money].” Philippe allegedly went on to say that “Willy” had identified Akono as being behind the purported irregularities, and that he had been arrested by order of the Minister of Sports and Youth Bidoun Kwpatt.
Akono denied any connection with “Willy” and accused the journalist of lying.
