Gambiaj.com – (YAOUNDÉ, Cameroon) – The atmosphere outside Cameroon’s Supreme Court was electric on Thursday as the nation’s highest judicial body convened to hear the appeal of Sisiku Ayuk Tabe and his nine fellow detainees, collectively known as the “Nera 10.” Condemned to life imprisonment in 2019 by a military tribunal, the separatist leaders are now pursuing their last judicial recourse.
The case, steeped in both procedural and political significance, is closely watched amid a protracted Anglophone crisis that has gripped the North-West and South-West regions for nearly a decade.
Procedure Delays Maintain Uncertainty
Despite anticipation from families and international observers, the Supreme Court opted for procedural caution, postponing the hearing until January 15, 2026.
The case was initially filed as a cassation appeal against the 2020 Court of Appeal decision. Defense lawyers emphasized that after five years of judicial silence, every procedural development is critical.
While the postponement extends uncertainty for the detainees, it also brings renewed attention to a case that had begun to fade from public focus.
Defense Challenges Military Jurisdiction and Arrest Conditions
Led by Maître Emmanuel Simh, the defense team is mounting a robust challenge to the legitimacy of the original military trial. They argue that the tribunal lacked jurisdiction to try civilians, contravening international conventions ratified by Cameroon.
They also allege that Ayuk Tabe’s 2018 arrest in Nigeria constituted a “kidnapping” without formal extradition, a position supported by a United Nations Working Group finding in 2022, which deemed their detention arbitrary.
The Political Stakes Behind the Legal Battle
Beyond courtroom arguments, the proceedings carry profound political implications. Ayuk Tabe, reportedly in good health according to his legal team, remains a symbolic figure for the Anglophone population.
Maître Simh stressed that the resolution of the conflict, responsible for thousands of deaths over eight years, cannot be judicial alone but must involve political dialogue. The defense hopes the Supreme Court’s decision could serve as a stepping stone toward national reconciliation.
International Eyes on Cameroon’s Judiciary
The outcome of this cassation appeal is closely monitored internationally. Observers see it as a test of judicial independence in Cameroon and a potential barometer for the government’s approach to the Anglophone crisis.
A reversal of the life sentences could initiate a tentative de-escalation, while confirmation of the sentences risks exacerbating tensions in the separatist regions.
As the Supreme Court prepares to reconvene on January 15, 2026, Yaoundé’s judicial palace remains the stage for a case that intertwines human tragedy with high political stakes, with potential repercussions for the balance of power between the central government and its Anglophone regions.
