Jean Pierre Amougou Belinga
Encyclopedia
Jean Pierre Amougou Belinga is a Cameroon
ian publisher of the newspaper L'Anecdote. Belinga gained notoriety in March 2006 when a Cameroon
court jailed him for four months for defaming Gregoire Owona
, a government minister named in a list of 50 presumed homosexuals in Cameroon.
Before passing judgement in the two-week trial, Judge Alexandre Amougou Anaba said Belinga had failed to produce any evidence to support his allegation that Owona was gay
, and Owona's lawyers said their client denied ever indulging in homosexual practices. The publication of his name in the list had seriously damaged his reputation and exposed his family to ridicule, they said.
Besides being jailed for four months, the court also ordered Jean Pierre Amougou Belinga, to pay symbolic compensation of 1 CFA franc
to Gregoire Owona. Belinga also has to pay 1 million CFA franc penalty to the state and arrange for the judgement to be published via 15 local and international newspapers, radio and television stations and for every day that passes without the publication of the judgement, Belinga must pay 300,000 CFA francs to the aggrieved minister.
Cameroon
Cameroon, officially the Republic of Cameroon , is a country in west Central Africa. It is bordered by Nigeria to the west; Chad to the northeast; the Central African Republic to the east; and Equatorial Guinea, Gabon, and the Republic of the Congo to the south. Cameroon's coastline lies on the...
ian publisher of the newspaper L'Anecdote. Belinga gained notoriety in March 2006 when a Cameroon
Cameroon
Cameroon, officially the Republic of Cameroon , is a country in west Central Africa. It is bordered by Nigeria to the west; Chad to the northeast; the Central African Republic to the east; and Equatorial Guinea, Gabon, and the Republic of the Congo to the south. Cameroon's coastline lies on the...
court jailed him for four months for defaming Gregoire Owona
Grégoire Owona
Grégoire Owona is a Cameroonian politician. He has served in the government of Cameroon as Minister-Delegate at the Presidency in charge of Relations with the Assemblies since 1997, and he has also been Deputy Secretary-General of the Central Committee of the Cameroon People's Democratic Movement ...
, a government minister named in a list of 50 presumed homosexuals in Cameroon.
Arrest and Conviction
Owona sued Belinga in February 2006 after L'Anecdote published his name in the controversial list in January, when some Cameroonian tabloid newspapers launched a crusade against what their editors said was "deviant behaviour".Before passing judgement in the two-week trial, Judge Alexandre Amougou Anaba said Belinga had failed to produce any evidence to support his allegation that Owona was gay
Gay
Gay is a word that refers to a homosexual person, especially a homosexual male. For homosexual women the specific term is "lesbian"....
, and Owona's lawyers said their client denied ever indulging in homosexual practices. The publication of his name in the list had seriously damaged his reputation and exposed his family to ridicule, they said.
Besides being jailed for four months, the court also ordered Jean Pierre Amougou Belinga, to pay symbolic compensation of 1 CFA franc
CFA franc
The CFA franc is the name of two currencies used in Africa which are guaranteed by the French treasury. The two CFA franc currencies are the West African CFA franc and the Central African CFA franc...
to Gregoire Owona. Belinga also has to pay 1 million CFA franc penalty to the state and arrange for the judgement to be published via 15 local and international newspapers, radio and television stations and for every day that passes without the publication of the judgement, Belinga must pay 300,000 CFA francs to the aggrieved minister.