The Cameroon Human Rights Commission (CHRC) has raised alarm over worsening overcrowding in the country’s prison system. It notes a significant increase over the past five years.
In a recent statement marking the eighth Africa Day of Pre-trial Detention, the Commission revealed that overcrowding in Cameroonian prisons has surged by more than 21%. According to official figures, prison facilities continue to house far more inmates than they were designed to accommodate.
“The Commission notes that the capacity of operational prisons has increased from 19,155 places for a prison population of 30,606 inmates as of 31 December 2019 to 20,955 places for a prison population of 37,150 inmates as of 8 December 2024. This improvement corresponds to an occupancy rate of 177.28 per cent in 2024, compared to 159 per cent in 2019, which represents an approximate 21.5 per cent increase in prison overcrowding over five years,” said CHRC Chair, Prof. James Kobila.
He emphasised that the figures point to a continuous rise in inmate numbers. This, he says, compounds the already severe issue of prison overcrowding.
CHRC Condemns Abusive Pre-trial Detention
The Commission condemned the widespread and prolonged use of pre-trial detention in Cameroon. As such, many individuals remain in custody for years without ever appearing in court.
One highlighted case involved Ousman Chetima Djamaldini. He has been held at the Maroua Central Prison since April 2022 on charges of complicity in aggravated misappropriation. Ousman faced the Maroua Court of First Instance in October 2022 and received an acquittal. Nevertheless, he stayed in prison until his release in October 2024, following the intervention of the CHRC.
The Commission strongly condemned such abuses and voiced concern over delays in implementing crucial judicial and legislative reforms. The reforms aim to enhance the justice system and decrease the frequency and duration of arbitrary detention.
The CHRC also pointed to severe staffing shortages in many prisons. For instance, some facilities report an alarming inmate-to-guard ratio of 1,000 to one. Such conditions, it warned, undermine the effective, humane, and rights-compliant management of detention centres.
Despite these concerns, the Commission welcomed recent statements by judicial authorities aimed at addressing the problem. It cited a declaration by Luc Ndjodo, Procureur General at the Supreme Court of Cameroon, during the solemn opening of the court’s 2025 session in Yaoundé. Ndjodo voiced strong concern about abuses in pre-trial detention. He reminded judicial and security officials that “any unlawful restriction of liberty committed by a public official, magistrate, or security officer is strictly prohibited.”
Health Concerns in Prisons
The CHRC also drew attention to deteriorating health conditions in prisons. It urged the Ministry of Public Health (MINSANTÉ) to ensure adequate healthcare for detainees. The Ministry of Public Health (MINSANTÉ) should accomplish this by staffing detention centres with qualified medical personnel and providing essential equipment and medications.
