CameroonOnline.org Cameroon news, Actualité Camerounaise, live Web TV & Radio, World News and a lot more
Related Articles
CameroonOnline.ORG | A wave of shock and anger is sweeping through Cameroonian public opinion. The cause? A video that went viral on social media showing a Cameroonian employee being violently tortured with a whip inside a Chinese supermarket in Yaoundé. Faced with the horrific footage, expressions of outrage are mounting, and authorities have been forced to react swiftly.
A Scene of Torture in the Heart of Yaoundé
The events took place on May 2, 2026, inside the Sino Market (sometimes referred to as Sino Mart) supermarket, located in the Elig-Edzoa neighborhood of Yaoundé.
In the video circulating massively online, an employee identified as Arnaud Ombe Boya is seen enduring severe physical abuse: a man is inflicting numerous lashings upon him. The victim, initially standing, collapses to the floor screaming in pain, with no way to escape his attacker.
The perpetrator is none other than a soldier on guard duty at the supermarket, who carried out the punishment under the direct orders of the establishment’s manager, a Chinese national named Yan Min.
Public Outrage: “Slavery-Like Practices”
The release of these exceptionally violent images immediately triggered a general outcry. On social media, internet users, opinion leaders, and several public figures strongly condemned the act. Many characterized the scene as “slavery-like practices from a bygone era” and denounced it as an intolerable assault on human dignity.
“The facts brought to the public’s attention via a circulating video are sparking a wave of indignation within public opinion.”
Beyond this specific case, the incident has loosened tongues. Numerous testimonies from Cameroonians have emerged online to denounce similar abuses. According to these observers, physical abuse and professional mistreatment are allegedly common in certain commercial spaces or mining sites managed by foreign nationals. These employers are accused of taking the law into their own hands—often by instrumentalizing security agents or local forces—instead of turning to the country’s police, gendarmerie, or competent judicial authorities.
Government Reaction and Arrests
In the face of public pressure and the severity of the situation, Cameroonian authorities acted quickly:
-
Arrest of the Manager: The manager of the Sino Market supermarket, Yan Min, was formally arrested by law enforcement.
-
Ministerial Visit: The Minister of Labour and Social Security, Grégoire Owona, personally visited the supermarket premises to assess the situation and reaffirm the strict application of the laws of the Republic.
Several observers and civil society organizations are now demanding that exemplary justice be served for Arnaud Ombe Boya, and that stricter controls be implemented regarding the working conditions of local employees in these businesses.
