Lawyer Alice Nkom is scheduled to appear in court on April 7 before the Douala-Bonanjo Court of First Instance, facing charges of breaking seals. The seals in question were reportedly “legally affixed” to the doors of the building housing the headquarters of the Central Africa Human Rights Defenders Network (Redhac) in Douala.

The case originates from last December, when Paul Atanga Nji, the Minister of Territorial Administration, decided to suspend Redhac’s activities, along with those of other civil society organizations. The stated reason for the suspension was the alleged financing of so-called terrorist networks.

Richard Tamfu, one of Nkom’s attorneys, confirmed that Alice Nkom does not dispute that she is the individual seen in a widely circulated video removing the seals. “However, she clearly maintains that she removed seals that had been affixed illegally,” Tamfu stated. He promptly added that his client, who co-chairs Redhac’s board of directors, was acting in “self-defense.”

This defense has been consistent for Nkom since the case began. In an interview with the pan-African magazine Jeune Afrique in February, she stated, “There is a law that governs this procedure, and it was not respected.”

During that interview, Alice Nkom already exhibited unwavering determination, a characteristic that remains unchanged, according to her lawyer. “She’s a warrior with more than 50 years at the bar […] She is calm and composed,” said Attorney Richard Tamfu.

Source: Sbbc