The Bar President of the Cameroon Bar Association, accompanied by the Bar Secretary and a group of lawyers from Buea, Bamenda, Douala and Yaoundé, held a meeting with the Directorate of Military Justice.
During this meeting, the President of the Bar sufficiently and explicitly explained the difficulties and challenges that lawyers face in the exercise of their profession before military courts.
In sum, the Bar President insisted on the non-observance, the non-respect and the non-application of the established rules relating to the criminal procedures in the administration of justice before the military courts, the hazardous schedules of the hearings, the characterized violations of the rights of the Lawyers in the defense of their clients and the military violence against the Lawyers.
The President of the Bar cited in particular the case of Mr. TELLA Jean Claude who was arbitrarily arrested, illegally detained and treated in an inhumane manner. He deplored the impunity with which certain collaborators of the Director of Military Justice violate the law. The Bar President urged the Chancellery of Military Justice to ensure that the perpetrators of these barbaric acts against Mr. TELLA are brought to justice, given that the leadership of the Bar (Council of the Order) is determined to see that justice is done in this case.
After having enlightened the opinion on the indispensable character of the Bar in any credible justice system, the President of the Bar gave the floor to the members of his suite to share their experiences with the military justice in their respective regions.
After listening, the Director of Military Justice acknowledged that the problems posed by the Bar were of concern. He promised to track down the decried behaviors and invited the executive of the Bar Association to do the same with the lawyers.
He committed himself to follow the particular case of Me TELLA in order to ensure that the procedure follows its normal course in accordance with the law. Both parties agreed on the need to have focal points that will be able to promptly draw their attention to any illegalities observed to enable them to act immediately.
Secretary of the Bar
Me NGO MINYOGOG Anne Yolande