Police-Civilian Confrontations: Minister Paul Atanga Nji rolls out riot act

Territorial Administration Minister, Paul Atanga Nji has outlined a number of judicial implications against civilians who engage in physical confrontation, maliciously or not, with forces of law and order.

The Press Statement by the Territorial Administration Minister today in Yaoundé comes after a recent spree of confrontations between civilians and members of the police and Gendarmerie forces have trended on Social Media.

“In the event of any disagreement between a police officer and an individual, a
complaint should be addressed to the Police hierarchy,” the minister has ordered.

According to the minister, only the police hierarchy has constitutional rights of meting out punishment to uniformed officials in Cameroon.

“To publicly attack a police officer or any other security officer on duty shall hereafter
be considered as a casus belli,” the minister stated.

Regional Governors have been tasked with enforcing the rule of law in their separate jurisdiction, and seeing to it that confrontations against the police force be met with heavy punishment as stipulated by the law.

The punishments as outlined by the Minister are: a fine of around 5000frs-100,000frs and jail term of about 1 month to 3 years.

Where the force or interference is premeditated, or where it results, intentionally punishment shall be imprisonment for from five (05) to ten (10) years and fine of or otherwise, in harm within the meaning of Sections 277 or 280 of this Code, the fine shall range from CFAF20 000 (twenty thousand) to CFAF 500 000 (five hundred thousand).

Where the force or interference results unintentionally in death, the punishment shall be imprisonment for life. And where the force or interference is intended to cause death, the punishment shall be death.