Cameroon lawyers abandon gowns and wigs for show public authorities say deh di vex

Empty courts as Cameroon lawyers don put down dia gowns and wigs no go court for show public authorities say deh di vex for how deh di treat dem laik enemies.

De strike action throughout de kontri start from November 30 -December 04.

For 2016, wen Anglophone Crisis bi start, authorities bi answer wit brutality and arrest lawyers weh deh bi march say make authorities no spoil Anglo-Saxon system for education.

No bi de first taim lawyers di lef courts empty but dis taim na for seka violence on lawyers, deh strike for September 2019.

Following dia strike action, Lawyers don suspend till further notice, appearance for criminal cases, for Supreme Court and special criminal court, and courts dealing with election matters.

Bar Council shift burial of dia president, Tchakouté Patié Charles weh e die, as deh di look for beta place for pay last respect. Before, deh bi plan for pay last respect for dia president for Douala Court of First Instance and Yaoundé Supreme Court but deh change dia mind.

Why lawyers di vex?

De events for Douala court for November 10 wen police shoot gun and tear gas on lawyers inside court room na de immediate reason weh lawyers boycott courts.

Police for Douala bin shoot gun and use tear gas for disperse lawyers weh deh resist make guards no take dia colleagues back for prison.

Douala Judicial police later arrest and detain two lawyers, send dem for prison, but free dem on condition say if deh commit crime inside three years, deh go serve prison term of six months first.

Aside from dis, Bar Council say deh don discover say authorities di always harass lawyers, make lawyers laughing stock plus oda bad tins for judiciary.

One of dem condition for detention and search for clients for detention centres.

By dis action, “We wan show public authorities say we di vex, authorities no get for treat we laik enemies. We no bi above de law but make authorities treat we wit respect and dignity”, member for bar council, Barrister Tamfu Richard tok.

“We wan restore wa respect for society”, e add.

How lawyers absence di affect cases for court

Cases for Cameroon courts go suffer adjournments.

De big problem na say criminal cases weh pesin must get lawyer accordingly to law, no go fit progress.

For now, goment nova tok, Jean de Dieu Momo, Minister Delegate for Ministry of Justice one taim inside meeting wit lawyers say deh no bi opposition parties. Deh suppose cooperate with goment.