CI-NEWS

Blow- by-blow account of last Tuesday’s case against Ayuk Tabe and co at Yaounde Military Tribunal.

2019-07-16

No: 436

Blow- by-blow account of last Tuesday’s case against Ayuk Tabe and co at Yaounde Military Tribunal.

Ghost towns were observed last Tuesday across the North West and South West regions as the trial of the Ambazonian leaders resumed at the Yaounde Military Tribunal after repeated adjournments pending ruling of the recusal of the magistrates demanded by the lawyers for Ayuk Tabe and co. Following is a blow-by-blow account of proceedings in court in the case The People Vs Sisiku Julius Ayuk Tabe & 9ors.:

The escort vans of anti-terrorist special Gendarmerie unit better know by their French acronym GPIGN finally showed up at the Prison Principale Kondengui Yaounde to take us to court at about 11.25 am. By the time we got to court by midday a college of about 60 lawyers from Bamenda, Kumbo, Buea, Kumba, Victoria, Tiko, Douala and Yaounde led by Lead Counsel Batonnier emeritus Eta Besong Jr were already in waiting along side an impressive crowd of family members, friends and Ambazonians as they insisted on being identified despite the heavy deployment of troops in and around the court premises. They came in their numbers to encourage their leaders and remind them to remain resolute and fear no harm because the whole country and the diaspora are praying for them.

The court session presided over by Lt Col Missed Njone Jacques Baudouine and two civilian judges, Magistrates Ngouongue and Edou Mewoutou Armand started at about 12.45pm with usual military honours. The President opened the session and had barely explained the reasons for the last adjournment and how proceedings were going to be when Batonnier Eta Besong Jr took the floor for and on behalf of the defense and went ahead to raise issues with the composition of the court to include the two civilian Magistrates herein above against whom there is a pending Recusal Application that had not yet been determined by the President of the court of appeals, Yaounde. His eloquent arguments were backed up by brilliant submissions from Barristers Paddy Yong, Suh Fuh Benjamin, Akuwiyadze Joseph and Maitre Simh Emmanuel who iced the cake of defense submissions in persuasive French language. The Commissaire du Gouvernement, Lt Col. Engono Thaddee and his deputy Magistrate Onambele made submissions for The State party while Barristers Achu Julius, Amazee Anthony and Tanifum Julius and Me Kengmoé submitted for the Civil Party. The stormy court session lasted about 3 hours when the court rose at 4.00pm to deliberate and deliver Ruling in 15 minutes. It was however not until 5.40 pm that sitting resumed and the court simply read out its decision to adjourn the case to the 23/07 for the Accused Persons to be served with the Ruling of the Court of Appeals on the pending Recusal of the other members of the panel as mandatorily requested by law.

It should be noted that during the proceedings one man got up threatened some lawyers and people sitting in the court hall and then stood in the centre of the court hall looking at the lawyers and population in court menacingly

Barrister Eta Besong Jr upon hint from lawyers caused the President to summon the man who was identified as a spy in civilian dress from SED by name Adjudant EBODE Luc. He was promptly warned by the judge and ordered out of the court Hall.

The Accused Persons confirmed to this reporter after court that this same Adjudant EBODE Luc was the leader of the torture team at SED when they were there. He was seen several times knocking the heads of handcuffed Ambazonians against the walls in the nights when taking them outside the cells for regular flogging and other forms of torture. He is also remembered for the beating of some nurse and medical doctor who were brought from Manyu one evening with his bare hands.

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Blow- by-blow account of last Tuesday’s case against Ayuk Tabe and co at Yaounde Military Tribunal.