HRW Says Ngarbuh Massacre Falls Short on Justice

By Njodzeka Kernyuy

Human Rights Watch has condemned the lenient sentences given to soldiers convicted of killing 21 women and children in Ngarbuh, North West Cameroon, on February 14, 2020.

In a statement on Tuesday, February 24, HRW said the trial falls short of justice, adding that it failed to hold accountable those who gave the orders to the officers involved.

Last week, the military court in Yaoundé sentenced three security forces members and a pro-government militia member to prison. While some received five-year sentence, others were sentenced to 10 years.

According to Ilaria Allegrozzi, Senior Africa Researcher at HRW, this reflects the authorities’ insufficient efforts to hold senior military officers accountable and to compensate the victims’ families.

“The failure of Cameroon’s prosecutors and judiciary to investigate those bearing command responsibility, combined with the denial of reparations, exacerbates the suffering of victims’ families,” said Ilaria.

“The Ngarbuh trial has delivered neither full accountability nor meaningful redress,” she added.

What happened in Ngarbuh?

On February 14, 2020, security forces accompanied by Fulani militia stormed the village of Ngarbuh, located in the Ndu Subdivision, Donga Mantung Division of the North West region.

The attack resulted in the deaths of 21 people, including 13 children and a pregnant woman.

In addition, the perpetrators burned homes, beat residents, and looted properties.

When the incident was reported, the government initially denied soldiers’ responsibility but later established a commission that confirmed soldiers were behind the attack.

Three soldiers—Baba Guida, Gilbert Haranga, and Cyrille Sandings Sandings—were arrested, while some 17 Fulani militiamen remain at large.

The trial began on December 17, 2020, and continued for five years.

Haranga and For (tried in absentia) received ten-year prison sentences, Guida received eight years, and Sandings received five years. In addition, each was fined 183,100 francs CFA.

However, according to HRW, this is not sufficient. The human rights group described the sentences as lenient toward the perpetrators. Under the Cameroonian Penal Code, murder is punishable by life imprisonment, and co-perpetrators are subject to the same penalties as principal offenders unless otherwise provided by law.

HRW also expressed dissatisfaction with the compensation provided to the victims.

While the victims demanded 1.8 billion francs CFA, the court deemed the amount unjustifiable, noting that they had already received 80 million francs CFA.

“The United Nations Centre for Human Rights and Democracy in Central Africa should offer legal and technical assistance to the victims’ families to enable them to file a well-grounded appeal seeking reparation and to ensure continued protection of their rights throughout the process,” said Ilaria.