Lawyers defending Sisiku Ayuk Tabe Julius and nine other leaders of the self proclaimed state of Ambazonia say laws guiding the justice system in Cameroon have been flawed at all levels in the process of judgement and the condemnation of their clients.
In a press statement published July 22nd 2020 by the chairman of the communication and media committee for the defense team of the ambazonia leaders, it reads “our resolve to stage a peaceful protest in front of the principal prison Kondengui Yaounde is to press on the justice and penitentiary administration to grant us access to our clients is maintained”.
The team recounts how the prison supretendent Isidore Angoula on instructions from his hierarchy has denied lawyers the access to meet and talk to their client as permitted by the law. They quote section 240(1) of the criminal procedure code which says “Counsels shall visit their clients in detention between the hours of 6:00 am and 6:00pm”
The irate lawyers equally quote international instructions that support the fact that lawyers have all the rights to visit their clients with no interruptions from either the penitentiary department or the ministry of justice.
Lawyers defending Sisiku Ayuk Tabe Julius say the violations of the instruments above for them not to have access to their clients are deliberate attempts to humiliate lawyers and their clients.
In the face of this, the lawyers say they shall not relent but to protest and denounce what they consider gross violation of human rights.
“We have resolved to return to the principal prison Kondengui as soon as possible to cause the penitentiary and justice authorities to grant us access to our clients. We invite counsels of the entire defense team and other lawyers in Cameroon who are suffering the same fate to join our action that day”.
The defending lawyers in the press statement castigates what they called “…a charade of justice rendered to Sisiku Ayuk Tabe Julius and others last year when they when they were condemned to life in prison in the absence of their lawyers”. Not that defending lawyers abandoned the case to denounce poor judicial system.
They equally criticized the poor adjournment of the trial of Ambazonia leaders at the centre court of appeal on the 16th of July just because defending lawyers demanded the presence of interpreters to facilitate the understanding of their clients.The trial will resume on the 20th of August 2020.
Mimi Mefo Info.
