CAMEROON'S opposition leader, Anicet Ekane, who supported another opposition candidate in the October presidential election against long-time leader Paul Biya, has died while in detention, according to his lawyer and family.
Ekane, 74, was the head of the African Movement for New Independence and Democracy (MANIDEM). He was arrested on October 24 after the election protests. His party called the arrest a "kidnapping" by Cameroonian soldiers.
The government accused him of showing hostility toward the state, inciting unrest, and encouraging disorder charges he denied.
His lawyer, Ngouana Ulrich Juvenal, said Ekane couldn't speak when visited just days before his death. His sister, Mariane Simon-Ekane, shared the news on Facebook.
The government has not made a public statement about the incident. The recent election resulted in President Paul Biya winning again, keeping him as the world's oldest sitting head of state.
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