“Do We Still Have a Right to Privacy?” — Entertainer Shares Disturbing Police Encounter in Buea

Going home after a long day of honest work should not feel like a crime.

But for Fonyuy Michael, a Cameroonian entertainer and entrepreneur, what started as a simple taxi ride in Buea reportedly turned into a distressing encounter with law enforcement that left him questioning privacy, dignity, and the treatment of citizens.

In his own words, he shared what happened — not to incite hatred, but to raise an important conversation many citizens silently experience.

👇 Here is his account, shared exactly as he wrote it:

🗣️ HIS WORDS

“I left the shop this evening exhausted, heading home with nothing on my mind except rest. The sky looked heavy, and I was worried the rain might catch me before I got home. I boarded a taxi heading to Muea with other passengers, just hoping for a quiet ride.

When we got to HIMS, the police stopped us like they usually do. They asked for our ID cards and we all presented them. After checking mine, one officer looked at me and said, “ oh monswear Deux sang” in French

I stepped out calmly because I knew I had done nothing wrong.

He handed me over to another officer who took me to a small corner beside the sawmill and began searching me. He removed everything I had on me and collected my iPhone. After the physical search, he demanded that I unlock it.

I refused at first because it didn’t feel right.

But the taxi driver kept pleading with me to unlock the phone so we could go. Everyone was waiting because of me. The pressure and embarrassment built up, and just to avoid causing more delay for the other passengers, I reluctantly unlocked it.

That’s when things got worse.

He went through my WhatsApp chats and even clicked on a suspicious link a strange number had once sent me. What if that link hacked my account or exposed my personal data? Who takes responsibility for that?

Then he searched through my Facebook and my private conversations.

So I kept asking myself do we even have any right to privacy anymore as citizens?

After going through everything and finding nothing, he accused me of selling fake beds online simply because my phone was full of furniture photos and videos from my business and our comedy skits.

Imagine being treated like a criminal just because you’re hardworking and documenting your hustle.

I even offered to take them to my shop so they could confirm everything themselves, but they refused and said they would take me to the station instead.

The officer didn’t even want me to make a call. When I tried using my small phone to contact someone, he aggressively tried to seize it, saying I had no right to call anyone and that at this point he would “ Tu nyia le duat de appeler personne. Maintenant,se moi qui decide de tong sort.”

“Decide my fate.”

Those words really shook me.

How can another human being say that to you when you have done absolutely nothing wrong?

In that moment, I thought about all the innocent people who might have suffered worse simply because someone in uniform “decided their fate.”

He spoke to me with so much aggression, like I was a criminal.

Still, I was ready to follow them to the station because I knew I was innocent.

The taxi driver even came down to beg him, saying we should settle it peacefully as men. He asked me what I had on me. I said 500 francs just my transport fare.

The officer got angry and asked if I was reducing his level to 500 francs.

At that point, it became clear what he really wanted.

After more arguments, the driver had no choice but to leave me there.

They made me sit with people who didn’t even have ID cards and kept me waiting like a suspect. I felt humiliated, confused, and powerless all for nothing.

Later, the same officer came back and said 500 francs wasn’t his problem and he said “Chou corner Kumbieng dey Senk-sang dang mong Salare?. I calmly told him the money was for my transport, not for him.

Finally, he returned my ID card, my phone, and everything he had taken, and simply said, “Vazzy”

Just like that.

No explanation. Nothing. Na so I carry my head start waka with foot di go Muea🤣🤣

What shocked me even more is that just on Saturday night in Limbe, I had a police check too. Those officers were calm, respectful, and professional. They checked my ID, searched the boot, and even said, “Messy monswear.”

I remember smiling that day and thinking, “Wow, this is how it should be.”

So why is the experience so different?

Why are some officers professional while others treat innocent citizens like criminals or prey?

Are we safe, or are we just lucky when we meet the “good ones”?

Something really needs to change.

Because nobody deserves to feel helpless and afraid simply for going home after a long day of honest work…”

Stories like this raise difficult but necessary questions about citizens’ rights, professionalism, and accountability.

While many officers carry out their duties with respect and integrity, experiences like this remind us that consistency matters — and that trust between citizens and institutions is built through everyday interactions.

At Tinz To Know, we believe sharing real experiences — respectfully and responsibly — is part of understanding what people are going through and why these conversations matter.

🗣️ What are your thoughts on this experience?
Have you witnessed or experienced similar situations, or do you believe things are improving?