A businessman suspected of “a very great number” of cases of rape or sexual assault was arrested on Wednesday in Cameroon, the CRTV state broadcaster announced.

The news broke after lawyers had urged prosecutors to launch an inquiry after dozens of women accused the businessman of sexual attacks in anonymous posts on social media.

“Herve Bopda is suspected of raping or sexually assaulting a very great number of young girls,” CRTV reported after his morning arrest in the Bonaberi district of the economic capital Douala.

“His arrest opens the way for legal procedures that will take charge of drawing up the evidence against him.”

The Bar association’s human rights commission said last week it was aware from social networks of anonymous testimony against Bopda alleging “indecent exposure, sexual harassment, rapes, threats, illegal confinement and violence against several victims”.

Minister for women’s empowerment Marie-Therese Abena Ondoa on Friday urged victims “to break the silence” and offered to “supply the legal authorities with the elements needed to carry out procedures to establish the facts”.

The nation’s human rights commission took up the case on January 19 but on Saturday voiced regret at not being able “to deal with the affair properly” with a full investigation because the accusations were anonymous.

Since mid-January, more than 70 anonymous testimonies had been posted on social networks by a blogger accusing the businessman of sexual violence.

The hashtag StopBopda took off on a wave of indignation and saw thousands of of tweets on X, formerly Twitter, as African artists, athletes and influencers take up the cause.

Source: AFP