Barrister Tamfu Richard leads lawyers demanding Extraordinary Bar General Assembly

A group of Cameroonian lawyers led by Barrister Tamfu Richard and Barrister Siewe Victor have signed a petition requesting the summoning of an Extraordinary General Assembly of the Cameroon Bar Association, as soon as it can be.

At the top of the agenda for the supposed meeting, is expected to be discussed the presidency of the Bar, given its instability in recent times following the passing away of former Bar President, Barrister Tchakounte Patie Charles, who died in October 2020, before the expiration of his mandate.

The petition notes that a by-election should have been organised at the time of the late Bar President’s death to find his imminent successor, but was somehow ignored for reasons unclear.

Alternatively though, an Interim Bar Council President in the person of Barrister Atangana Bikouna Claire was appointed in an Extraordinary Session to complete the mandate of the deceased president.

Barrister Atangana Bikouna Claire was expected to organize an election, one month from the expiration of the late President’s mandate.

The said mandate expired in November 2020, but an election had not been organised as was stipulated by the Bar.

Till date, the election has not been organized, and as per the petition signed by a collective of lawyers, the Council President has reverted to communicating by publishing communiqués, stating in some, logistic concerns holding back the Organization of the elections.

With the upcoming month of November being the provided period for the internal regulation of the Bar to convene an elective General Assembly, the lawyers feel that an Extraordinary General Assembly meeting is necessary to avoid future hurdles.