Cameroon: Justice Epuli Mathias Aloh - 'The Head of State Has Shown His Goodwill'

New President of the Judicial Bench of the Supreme Court.

How do you feel having taken up your functions as the new President of the Judicial Bench of the Supreme Court? I am elated to be back to the Supreme Court. I am aware that it is a very heavy duty that I am handling. So, I have to be very serious. It is a lot of responsibility and I hope with God's help we are going to discharge our duties as required by the people, the law and justice. I am aware of the weight of the responsibility and I am aware that the Republic, especially at this juncture of its movement through history is expecting a lot from the judiciary to help stabilise several things that seem to be going wrong. You are the first person from the English-speaking regions of Cameroon to have been appointed as president of a bench of the Supreme Court. How do you look at the appointment? It is the practice of national integration, unity, multiculturalism and bilingualism put together. There are of course other qualifications. You cannot just get up in the morning and come up to the Supreme Court. It is a long journey. I think we should be talking more about the Common Law Division that has been created at the Supreme Court. It is a wonderful thing. We ought to thank the authorities and the Head of State that came together and produced such an innovation for our country. Do you think that with your appointment, the Common Law Lawyers can feel that they have been considered in their claims? I don't know. When you talk of Common Lawyers I don't understand. I know there is a Common Law and I know the lawyers exercise and practise both within the Common Law and the French legal civil system. So, they are not Common Law lawyers but lawyers in the country. What task awaits you? Lots of things. There is the Common Law Division that has to be set up properly, given a good foundation so that it speaks well for itself as time goes on. Furthermore, we will expect that everybody who can contribute to the development of that part of the law should get on board. Finally, I think that the Head of State has shown his goodwill and has left the task in our hands. The ball is in our court. I intend to play my own part and let every other person make an effort to play their own part.

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