MALABO (AFP) — Equatorial Guinea's main opposition party has asked the government to shed light on the alleged prison suicide of a political activist arrested on suspicion of stashing weapons in the capital Malabo.
The Convergence for Social Democracy (CPDS) on Thursday asked the government "to reveal the whole truth ... about what happened to Saturnino Ncogo Mbomio" and expressed scepticism over the official account of his death.
Ncogo Mbomio, a militant with an unauthorised political party, was arrested at his home on March 12, allegedly in possession of arms "sent from Spain ... on the orders of Severo Moto Nsa," the main exiled opposition leader.
President Teodoro Obiang Nguema's goverment accused Moto and his alleged accomplice of plotting to "create a revolt" and a "bloodbath in the country", a small nation in Africa's Gulf of Guinea, which is now oil-rich.
Witnesses have said several other people close to the opposition have been arrested since Ncogo Nbomio was picked up, but authorities have made no comment on this.
The day after security forces arrested Ncogo Mbomio, official told his family he had committed suicide at Malabo's central prison, but the CPDS said that "the few people, including his lawyer, who saw the body say he had a wound to his temple."
In a statement, the CPDS said "the death of Saturnino Ncogo Mbomio who was in the custody of the authorities (and) shows all the signs of an extrajudicial killing, a demonstration of unjustified violence on the part of the government that should be the guarantor ... of the law."
The government has made no further official comment on the incident after arresting Ncogo Mbomio and denouncing the alleged plot, apart from announcing on March 16 that second-hand car imports were banned, particularly from Spain.
Industry Minister Atanasio Ela Ntugu Nsa said on state television that the measure was a step to prevent "the illegal entry of arms", supposedly smuggled in on imported vehicles.
Moto, who has lived in exile in Spain since 1982, was sentenced in absentia to 62 years in prison for his alleged role in a foiled coup against Obiang Nuguema, who has ruled since 1974.
Spain is the former colonial power in the country.
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