Southern Cameroons War Crimes Tribunal Issues List of War Crimes Suspects

26/01/2019

The Southern Cameroons Special Tribunal Coordination Committee (SCSTCC) has announced an initial list of war crimes suspects including two Cameroonian government military units implicated in war crimes and torture of civilians. The list is a work in progress and the allegations are not yet proven though in many cases video, eyewitness evidence and the public statements of the suspects strongly implicates some of the accused in conceiving, ordering and carrying out atrocities against Southern Cameroonian civilians and Amabazonian self defense units.

The Special Tribunal Committee has received a mandate from several Ambazonian organizations and their supporters to collect evidence, carry out investigations, and prosecute using any and all means possible including the national courts of third countries and international tribunals. The Special Tribunal Committee will also contact other national war crimes units with their findings and will seek visa bans and sanctions on implicated individuals and organizations.

The initial backers of the Special Tribunal include the Southern Cameroons National Council (SCNC), the Southern Cameroons Defense Force (SOCADEF), the Ambazonia Governing Council (AGC), the African Peoples Liberation Movement (APLM), the Organization of Emerging African States (OEAS) and the Cameroon Anglophone Civil Society Consortium. Dr. Jonathan Levy, an international lawyer specializing in human rights was appointed Chief Coordinator of the Tribunal and has been joined by two prominent African barristers.

According to Dr. Levy, the Special Tribunal’s immediate mission is to use existing courts and procedures to investigate and prosecute war crimes: “We need to bring legal actions quickly to prevent further atrocities. We also encourage other interested groups to do the same regardless whether they work with us or not. Our immediate goal is deterrence and that will only be effective if war criminals see demonstrable proof they will be held accountable for their crimes.”

The Southern Cameroons Special Tribunal Coordination Committee (SCSTCC) initial list of war crimes suspects are as follows:

President and Commander-in-Chief Paul Biya

Former Prime Minister & Deputy Commander-in-Chief Philemon Yang

Prime Minister & Deputy Commander-in Chief-Joseph Ngute

Minister of Defense Joseph Beti Assomo

Deputy Minister of Defense René Claude Meka

Major-General Nkoa Atenga

Secretary of State in charge of the National Gendarmeris, Galax Yves Landry Etoga

Gov. Adolphe Lele Afrique

Gov. Bernard Okalia Bilai

Senior Divisional Officer for Fako, Engamba Emmanuel Ledoux.

Senior Divisional Officer for Koupé Manengouba: Keyantcho Augustin.