Anglophone Crisis - Mancho Bibixy And Co Sentenced To 15 Years In Prison

Activists from the English-speaking regions have been sentenced to prison in Cameroon this Friday, May 25th. They receive sentences ranging from 10 to 15 years imprisonment for "terrorism" and "hostility against the homeland". Their lawyers will appeal.

Between 10 and 15 years in prison. These are the sentences handed down against six activists in the English-speaking regions of Cameroon. Sentenced for "acts of terrorism", "hostility against the fatherland", "secession", "revolution" and "insurrection". They must also jointly pay a fine of 268 million CFA francs (about 398,000 euros) to the state and the civil party.

Defense lawyers announce that they will appeal. They expressed their indignation at the announcement of the verdict, like Mr. Claude Assira. "The admission of guilt was already not very consistent with the debate and we had not seen irrefutably and beyond a reasonable doubt the involvement of each of the persons who were presented to us and whom we defended. each of the offenses for which they were prosecuted. The elements had been indicated a little loose, probably for ease, "says the lawyer.

Anglophone Crisis - Mancho Bibixy And Co Sentenced To 15 Years In Prison

And Mr. Claude Assira to recall that "in the context of a criminal trial, the criminal remains, it must be able to provide irrefutable evidence elements and material and intentional to admit the participation of both parties to the facts for which they were pursued. But the debates, to be honest, had not really demonstrated it. And therefore, the conviction already appeared to us to be disproportionate or at least out of step with what we ourselves had been able to discuss. "

Note that in this trial, one of the accused was acquitted for "facts not established".

Violence in English-Speaking Areas:

New violence reported in the English-speaking regions of Cameroon. According to an opposition MP, security forces reportedly attacked civilians in the town of Menka in the country's Anglophone North-West region.

"There were killings in Menka by the army, about twenty people died," according to information collected by Nji Tumasang, SDF deputy for the area of ​​Santa - where is Menka. Many lifeless body photos circulate on social networks, but it was almost impossible this Friday to authenticate and date them.

The army denounces his side "disgusting disinformation". His spokesman, Colonel Didier Badjeck, said the army intervened because of the presence of "a group of terrorists." There was "long exchanges of fire" and "the terrorists were neutralized," says Colonel Badjeck.

This wave of violence comes days after the United States accused the Cameroonian army of "targeted killings" in English-speaking areas and the separatists of "killings of gendarmes".