Anglophone crisis: Military Court Complicates Case of Banned Consortium Members by Applying Joinder of Proceedings

The Yaoundé based Military Court through the president, Colonel ABEGA, has applied Joinder of Proceedings on the case pitting the State, banned Consortium members and some youths arrested in Bamenda, Buea and Kumba during the heart of the Anglophone crisis.

The decision was taken Friday April 7, 2017 on the request of public prosecutor. It took just few minutes of audience for the sad news to be announced to defense team of Barrister Agbor Balla, Dr Fontem Neba and Mancho Bibixy who will now have to be tried alongside 24 other persons.

This means that the trial on April 27 will be a general audience where the crimes allegedly committed such as secession, vandalism, propagation of false information, terrorism among others will be held against the 27 persons.

The decision according to the defense team will only complicate matters because in a case of Joinder of Proceedings, it is difficult to know who the witness will be and how it will be preceded.

The President of the Military Court cited article 6 of the Penal Code which gives the Court the power to do so. The defense team however has 10 days to appeal against it.

By Wilson MUSA