The gendarmerie arrested and referred to court over twenty individuals identified as "microbes", suspected of having assaulted and robbed a motorist on October 22 at Avenue Kennedy in Yaoundé. "This three-day operation led to the arrest of a group of 22 young people known as ‘microbes’, including the 3 suspected perpetrators of the crime, all of whom are ex-convicts between the ages of 22 and 25," announced the military institution on its Facebook page. Recalling the facts, the gendarmerie indicated that the operation was launched following a complaint lodged by the victim.

The victim was assaulted in his vehicle at 12 p.m. and had his cell phone and XAF100,000 taken from him, we learn. "The interview of the three suspects led to the recovery of part of the money, the complainant's cell phone, as well as several dangerous objects and other stolen items. These included daggers, razor blades, a screwdriver, around fifty cell phones, laptops, dozens of identity cards, valuable jewelry, etc." the gendarmerie informs.

The investigation launched at the city's first gendarmerie region led to the dismantling of the rest of the gang and the arrest of the group's ringleaders, according to the same source. "It should be noted that numerous other complaints and denunciations had already been recorded in this sector before this crime, in which these ‘microbes’ were singled out," says the gendarmerie.

One of the capital's most popular commercial thoroughfares, Avenue Kennedy is notorious for its insecurity, notably for muggings and pickpocketing. One of the two lanes that make up this thoroughfare has been closed to traffic for some time, as part of a Yaoundé Urban Community (CUY) project to relieve congestion and make the area safer.

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