Releasing Anglophone leaders will stir uprising, Prosecuting Counsel warns court

“Abardem or any other Anglophone leader is very dangerous and if released, they can stir public disorder.”

These were the words of the Prosecuting Counsel in the on-going trial of Barrister Walters Abardem, one of the Anglophone lawyers languishing behind bars at the Kondengui prison.

The Prosecuting Counsel was arguing against the motion of bail tabled by the defence counsels for his clients, when the case recently came up at the Yaounde Military Tribunal.

According to the Defence Counsel, the health of his client is deteriorating after police brutality on him that has resulted in his hospitalisation at the Yaounde hospital for a back problem.

It is based on his ill health that the Defence Counsel led by the President of the Cameroon Bar Association, Barrister Jackson Ngnie Kamga, pleaded with the court to grant bail to Abardem.

But the Prosecuting Counsel argued that Abardem was undergoing treatment and that it was more convenient for him to be in custody while the State takes care of his treatment.

Barrister Kamga and the other Anglophone lawyers are said to have further argued that Abardem was arrested alongside one Ngeka Aaron, a resident of Mutengene, and were both charged to court together.

The defence argued that the same court released Ngeka, but is refusing to do same for Barrister Abardem.

The case was adjourned to June 19 where Magistrate Abega of the Yaounde Military Tribunal would rule on the plea for bail.