The resumption of service in courts in Southern Cameroons announced for the 2nd of May 2017 by the president of the Bar Association of Cameroon, Jackson Ngnie Kamga, has not been effective. Cameroon Intelligence Report sources say the atmosphere in the different courts in Buea, Bamenda, Limbe, Kumba, Mamfe, Muyuka and Kumbo is quite the same as the one that prevailed since the beginning of the Anglophone crisis 6 months ago.

No Southern Cameroon lawyer has been present in the courtrooms, thus making the president of the Cameroon Bar Association, Jackson Ngnie Kamga, a brazen faced liar. The latter had announced that a deal was reached with the Common Law Lawyers for them to resume work on May 02, 2017. In a communiqué issued on April 03, Jackson Ngnié Kamga explained that this resumption of activities had been decided Following 2 conclaves held on 18 March 2017 in Buea in the South West and 25 March 2017 in Bamenda in the North-West region.

The Jackson Kamga announcement had been reminiscent and sparked controversy among some Anglophone lawyers. While some considered it unacceptable for a Francophone lawyer to make such pronouncement, others felt that there were prerequisites before any return to work.

Some few days after the announcement, members of the South West Lawyers’ Association signed a statement in which they stated that Bar Ngnie Kamga did not have legitimate authority to call off the strike which he is not the initiator.

By Rita Akana

Cameroon Intelligence Report