Hearing continued on Friday, July 22, 2016, in the Yaounde Military Tribunal of three Cameroonians and three Nigerians accused of aiding and abetting terrorist acts, including the July 27, 2014 deadly attacks on Kolofata, in Mayo-Sava Division of the Far North Region. The six accused are Mustapha Umar, Mohamed Sherif and Ngare Ishaka, all Nigerians; while the Cameroonians are Waziri Isma, Baba Talba and Ramat Moussa, Mayor of Fotokol in the Logone and Chari Division of the Far North Region.

Presiding was Mrs. Justice Yvonne-Léopoldine Akoa, Vice President of the Yaounde Military Tribunal, who is also a judge with the Mfoundi High Court in Yaounde. She was assisted by Lt. Col. Boum Bissoue Raymond and Major Ndem Victor, while Major Nzie Pierrot Narcisse was State Counsel. Friday’s hearing saw the submission of the witness list by the counsel to Ramat Moussa, Barrister Eugène L.R. Balemaken, while the prosecution said it was still preparing its own.

Major Nzie Pierrot also told the court that he had written to the authorities for Amadou Ali, Vice Prime Minister and Minister in charge of Relations with the Assemblies, to list the destruction caused in his Kolofata home in the July 27, 2014 Boko Haram attacks on the town. He said he was still to receive the reply. Taking the floor again, Barrister Balemaken called on Mrs. Justice Akoa to dismiss the charge against his client. He argued that on November 4, 2014, during his first appearance before the Examining Magistrate, Ramat Moussa was charged with aiding and abetting insurrection and supplying firearms to Boko Haram.

But the charge finally retained against him is assisting Boko Haram members to move vehicles seized in Nigeria to Cameroon. The counsel argued that contrary to Article 169 (1) and other relevant portions of the Penal Code, the Examining Magistrate carried out the modifications without notifying the State Counsel. Balemaken appealed to the judge to therefore dismiss the charge against his client.

Asked by Mrs. Justice Yvonne-Léopoldine Akoa to respond to the objection, Major Nzie Pierrot Narcisse said he was not ready and pleaded for time to do so. The matter was later adjourned to August 29, 2016, for the prosecution to hand in its witness list and respond to the submission for dismissal of charge against Ramat Moussa.

Cameroon Tribune