(JED/IFEX) – Michel Michaut Moussala, publication director for the Douala-based bi-weekly “Aurore Plus”, has been summoned to appear before the Douala-Bonanjo Court of First Instance’s correctional division on 24 June 2004, to face insult and defamation charges brought by Joseph Antoine Bell, a former goalie for the Lions indomptables du Cameroun soccer team. Douala is […]
(JED/IFEX) – Michel Michaut Moussala, publication director for the Douala-based bi-weekly “Aurore Plus”, has been summoned to appear before the Douala-Bonanjo Court of First Instance’s correctional division on 24 June 2004, to face insult and defamation charges brought by Joseph Antoine Bell, a former goalie for the Lions indomptables du Cameroun soccer team. Douala is the second largest city in Cameroon.
The complaint, filed on 7 June, is based on an 11 May article that appeared in “Aurore Plus” entitled, “Portrait of a schizophrenic”, in which the paper allegedly compared the ex-goalie to a schizophrenic, saying, “Schizophrenia is a delirious mental condition characterised by emotional disfunction and by difficulties in one’s relationships with others. This description seems to fit one of the more quirky characters of the Cameroon soccer scene: Joseph Antoine Bell. His verbal outbursts offer proof of his emotional disfunction, while his hostile manner suggests a difficulty in relationships with others.”
The article further accused Bell of a being a “skilful manipulator” who “pulls the strings behind the scenes.”
Bell has denied the allegations, calling them “false and defamatory.” He has filed civil charges demanding 10 million CFA francs (approx. US$18,450; 15,250 euros) in damages.
The “Aurore Plus” article followed a Fédération Internationale de Football Association (FIFA) decision to dock six points from the Lions indomptables for failure to wear the regulatory jerseys during the 2004 African Cup. Following the incident, Bell criticised the Cameroonian Soccer Federation (Fédération camerounaise de football, Fécafoot), saying that Cameroon had been penalised at the games because the Fécafoot stood to gain a great deal of money in the “jersey affair.”
