Yaound©: The Yaound© Military Tribunal recently delivered its verdict in the 2020 Ngarbuh massacre case, closing nearly six years of legal proceedings. The ruling has drawn sharp criticism from human rights organisations, which say the sentences handed down are lenient and risk reinforcing impunity within Cameroon's defence and security forces.
According to Cameroon News Agency, Human Rights Watch stated on February 24 that the prison terms imposed on those convicted fail to reflect the gravity of the crimes and underscore the authorities' inability or unwillingness to hold senior military officials accountable. The organisation highlighted that prosecutors did not pursue any evidence about who planned and ordered the killings, adding that the failure to investigate command responsibility and to provide reparations to victims' families has deepened their suffering.
The military tribunal convicted four individuals, including two soldiers and a gendarme, sentencing them to between five and ten years in prison for acts of violence that led to the deaths of civilians, including women and children. Human Rights Watch also described the fines imposed as modest.
Reacting to the ruling, human rights defender Philippe Nanga warned that the decision could set a dangerous precedent. He expressed concern that the decision may reinforce impunity among the forces of law and order, potentially encouraging others to commit similar acts, knowing their liberty will not be affected. Nanga criticised the failure to investigate those who allegedly planned or authorised the operation, describing it as a serious flaw in the judicial process.
Nanga further urged the Cameroonian state to publicly acknowledge responsibility and provide reparations to victims, emphasizing that an entire village was affected. He advocated for public recognition and reparations as gestures that would help appease affected communities.
Human Rights Watch reported that in February 2020, government forces and allied ethnic Fulani militiamen killed at least 21 people in Ngarbuh, including 13 children and a pregnant woman. Homes were burned, property looted, and residents beaten during what the organisation described as a reprisal operation. The group added that the trial was marred by serious shortcomings, noting that no senior officers were arrested or charged, 17 ethnic Fulani militiamen accused of murder remain at large, and victims' families had limited access to the proceedings. The organisation also noted that key evidence was excluded, and the court rejected claims for compensation.