Bamenda: A Bamenda-based lawyer is facing legal action from his landlord over alleged rent arrears and failure to vacate rented premises despite the expiration of a mutually agreed deadline. According to Cameroon News Agency, documents show that Barrister Ngu Valentine was served with a court-backed notice to quit after the landlord cited irregular rent payments and plans to recover and renovate the property. The current landlord, Nde Christopher, claims he purchased the property in 2023 and was handed the right to collect rents in September 2025. By this time, Barrister Ngu had already accumulated seven months of unpaid rent under the previous owner. The landlord alleges that no rent has been paid since the change of ownership, bringing the alleged arrears to more than 17 months. CNA has also seen screenshots of WhatsApp exchanges between the landlord and Barrister Mbah Eric Mbah, President of the Cameroon Bar Council, indicating that Barrister Ngu requested six months to vacate the premises as he searched for another location. CNA reports that correspondence suggests both parties agreed the premises would be vacated by May 31, 2026, following the Bar Council President's intervention. However, the landlord claims the property has not yet been surrendered. When contacted by CNA via WhatsApp, Barrister Ngu declined to address the allegations, stating the matter was already in the hands of justice. The matter remains before the competent authorities. CNA has reviewed court documents, correspondence, and the WhatsApp exchanges referenced in this report but has not independently verified the landlord's allegations beyond those materials seen. No final judicial determination has yet been made on the dispute. The dispute highlights repeated calls by the Cameroon Bar Council for members of the legal profession to uphold the law and maintain the highest ethical standards. The Council has consistently urged lawyers to lead by example, respect the law, and conduct themselves in a manner that preserves public confidence in the legal profession. The new landlord expressed concerns to CNA about the challenges landlords face with tenants who refuse to vacate their premises even after failing to pay rent.
Menu