Chris Mbunwe
7 March 2008
Lawyers of the Cameroon Bar Association in the Northwest, Wednesday, March 5, at about midday stormed the Court of First Instance Up-station to halt the trial of suspects arrested during the recent nationwide strike.
In what observers interpreted as a protest march from Bamenda High Court II to the Court of First Instance Mezam, over 50 lawyers led by Northwest Bar Association President, Anthony Amazee, Francis Sama, Harmony Bobga and their colleagues, stormed Court I to enquire why the speedy trial when the suspects had not been given the opportunity to defend themselves.
Speaking to the Press before the protest march, the Northwest Representative of the Cameroon Bar Council, Barrister Anthony Amazee, described what the law court of Mezam was already engaged in doing as a shock and disgrace to the judiciary.
On arrival at the entrance of Bamenda Court of First Instance where the trial of two suspects Habih Nsawiir, and Effia Ibrahim, brought to court from BMM in chains, was going on, the Northwest Anthony General, Justice Bechem Eneke came out of his office and said, "I hope this crowd of lawyers is not a rebellion." He then led in lawyer Amazee and some Senior Bar Council members for in camera talk.
"This morning our attention has been drawn to a very sad situation that those who were arrested, following nationwide strike, are being given summary trials. This means the accused persons are not given all the opportunities to fair hearing and having defence counsels."
Lawyer Amazee said no lawyer is in support of the looting and destructions, but that suspects should be tried according to the law. He condemned nocturnal trials, which he claimed is unacceptable to the members of the Cameroon Bar Association.
"That is why we have gathered this morning to say we stand against those types of trials. Let those who carried out atrocities be tried and properly given enough chance to present their case, be properly represented so that justice shall be done.
According to him, many lawyers are ready to offer free services to have these fellows defended."The President of Bamenda Young Lawyers Association, Barrister Ben Suh, revealed that on Monday February 3, the Bamenda Court of First Instance sentenced one Emmanuel Tata to years of imprisonment.
He intimated that he was preparing for an appeal because the provisions prescribed in the new Criminal Procedure Code, CPC; particularly Section 300 was not respected by the court. "When an accused appears at the first hearing for offences committee flagrante delicto, he shall be informed by the President of the court that he has the right to apply for three days to prepare his defence."
He described the arrests and detention of demonstrators as not only obscure but a violation of human rights because the victims that were brought to court said they are being tortured and have been refused food.
At press time, we learnt a truck load of about 40 detainees was ferried in as the lawyers continued protesting that there should be no kangaroo trial. At about 5 pm the lawyers had succeeded only in discharging one detainee. The cases of the rest were adjourned to Monday, March 10.
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