SAMMY FVALE OF EWONDA VILLAGE IN BUEA IS ARRESTED BY POLICE ON ALLEGATIONS OF STEALING YAMS FROM THE FARMS OF VILLAGERS AND THEN SELLING THEM

By Moki Stephen Mokondo in Buea for Mount Fako News Centre

An alleged yam thief, Sammy Fvale(pronounced fva’a-leh) of Ewonda village in Buea, has fallen into the dragnet of policemen of the First District Police Station, Buea Town. Sammy Fvale is alleged to be one of those people who waits for people to sow, and then he unlawfully harvests, thereby earning a living from other people’s sweat. The police organised a manhunt and arrested him on Saturday 12 November, 2011, after receiving report from a young farmer that he caught the said Sammy with his missing yam seedlings.
The police officers disclosed to Fako News Centre that the said Sammy ran into the bush behind their family house when he saw them alighting from their car. According to the police, they lost track of him while trying to chase him. They then took cover in the nearby bush for over an hour pretending to have gone. That was when the alleged thief came out from his hiding and started heading back to his house.

They then caught him and on trying to lead him to the station for questioning, he fought back and threatened that they had no warrant of arrest against him. On trying to force him to accept the fact that he had to be taken to the station, the police explained that Sammy hit his head on a nearby stone and told them that they would explain in the court of law why they brutalised him.
Villagers were alerted of the incident and before they could reach there, Sammy was already producing foams from the mouth and looked helpless. The villagers then helped them to put him in their car and he was taken to hospital for medical attention. It was at the emergency unit of the Buea General Hospital that Sammy started pleading with the police that they should negotiate the matter.
He sensed danger when the Doctor on call observed and said that he had no serious problem, meaning that he was only pretending. He was then handcuffed and taken to the police station.
The policemen also added that they had received several complaints from yam farmers concerning the said Sammy and all attempts to arrest him had always failed. However, inhabitants of Ewonda village have testified that Sammy constantly sells yams and yam seedlings from doubtful sources.