Two suspected armed bandits, who attempted stealing a vehicle belonging to the Cameroon News and Publishing Corporation (SOPECAM), were wounded following an exchange of fire with gendarmes in the Ngousso neighbourhood in Yaounde on Wednesday June 8.

Reports say the Toyota Prado was stopped at the Olezoa neighbourhood at about 7:30 p.m. by four bandits (three men and one woman) on a motorbike. The bandits are alleged to have informed the driver, Roderigue K. that he was involved in an accident which he was not aware.

For humanitarian reasons and for fear of being incriminated for running away, he opted to take the young men to the scene of the alleged accident. A few metres away, one of the bandits pointed a gun at the driver and they asked him to cooperate with them. The bandits are said to have forced the driver around Yaounde town. After driving for two hours the gang of thieves abandoned the driver in the Mvolyé neighbourhood and took off with the vehicle. The driver immediately informed the Central Operation Unit of the National Gendarmerie. Immediately, the different gendarmerie patrol teams were alerted and a search for the vehicle began. The vehicle was finally caught at the Ngousso neighbourhood on the way to Soa on the outskirts of Yaounde at 9:30 p.m.

On seeing the gendarmes, the bandits attempted to run away and shot at them. The gendarme fired back, wounding two of them - Abdouraman Nassourou and Nkengou Mboumbouo Grégroie, alleged to be a military man. The bandits had in their keeping a revolver, a knife, a set of screw drivers and a gun case. The two wounded bandits were taken to hospital while the others are on the run. Investigations are going on to fish out the other culprits. Commandant Pierre Bomba Yene called on the public not to hesitate when they are victims or witnesses of crime to inform the gendarmerie so that the notion of proximity gendarmerie can be accomplished with their support and especially for their benefit.