The life sentence handed to Cameroonian activist Abdul Karim Ali by a military court has led to reactions from his wife and mother, both of whom have publicly expressed their perspectives on the verdict.
Wife Responds on Social Media
In a post on the platform X, Mairama Abdulkarim, the wife of Abdul Karim Ali, criticised the verdict and reaffirmed her support for her husband.
“They sentenced themselves thinking they did my husband,” she wrote.
She referred to the military court as an instrument of occupation and maintained that higher judgement would ultimately prevail.Sou
“The military occupier, through its military courts, has done its best. Allah will do He’s and He’s is the best of deeds,” she stated.
Mairama expressed that the conviction had not deterred her husband’s stance nor her admiration for it.
“No weapon can kill the truth my husband holds. If anything, your brutal sword of injustice confirms why I love my husband and why Southern Cameroonians will never surrender to your puny annexation,” she said.
Concluding her statement, she declared:
“Dead for us is Victory. Either way, we shall win and you shall lose.”
Mother’s Message of Caution and Resilience
In a voice message received by MMI, Abdul Karim’s mother also responded to the sentencing, describing it as a manifestation of divine will.
“This is the will of Allah,” she said, adding that she was not surprised by the outcome.
She explained that she had anticipated such a result from the time of his arrest, which occurred while she was hospitalised.
In her message, she advised her son to remain cautious and vigilant, particularly regarding those around him.
“Be careful because if they cannot break your spirit, they could get someone to poison you,” she warned.
She invoked a familiar separatist expression to underline her resolve:
“Shake shake no dey,” a phrase implying steadfastness in the face of pressure.
Background and Legal Proceedings
Authorities arrested Abdul Karim Ali, a peace activist from Cameroon’s Anglophone region, on 11 August 2022 in Bamenda without a warrant. Authorities detained him at the Secretariat of State for Defence (SED) in Yaoundé, where they reportedly held him incommunicado for several days and denied him access to legal representation.
The Military Tribunal of Yaoundé later presented him on accusations including ‘hostility against the fatherland’, ‘failure to report’, ‘secession’, and ‘rebellion’.
Amnesty International and Human Rights Watch have called for his release, citing concerns about the legality of his detention and the conditions of his imprisonment.
Abdul Karim Ali has faced detention before. In 2019, authorities arrested him and held him without charges for several weeks before releasing him.
His recent life sentence has drawn attention to the ongoing tensions in Cameroon’s Anglophone regions, where activists continue to advocate for their rights amidst political unrest.
