Since 2017, armed separatist groups have imposed a boycott on education in the two Anglophone regions of the country. This is the first trial targeting presumed secessionists for these crimes against schools.

It is the military tribunal of Buea, in the Anglophone region of the southwest, that handed down the judgment in this trial for the murder of seven schoolchildren. Twelve people appeared in court, all accused of terrorism, hostility toward the nation, secession, insurrection, murder, and illegal possession of weapons. Four were sentenced to capital punishment.

Ten days to appeal

For Maître Atoh Walters Tchemi, defense counsel, this trial was marred by irregularities. He denounces the absence of sufficient evidence to identify the assailants. "Only one of the four sentenced to death said he was a former separatist fighter. The others were arrested by police, blindfolded, then taken to the station and forced to make statements."

Since 1997, none of the roughly 100 people sentenced to death in Cameroon has been executed. Yet Me Atoh Walters Tchemi fears that the four presumed secessionists may indeed be shot in a public square, as the military tribunal decided.

"The judicial authorities do not carry out executions, probably because of their international commitments. Cameroon has ratified the 1948 declaration of human rights, but that does not mean the accused will not be shot."

Contacted by RFI, the Defense Ministry clarified that the accused have ten days to appeal to non-military judicial authorities.