A former sub-prefect has been sentenced to ten years in prison for the murder of his partner. The verdict was delivered on March 6th by the military tribunal of Ebolowa, the capital of the South region. However, there is only partial satisfaction for the collective of lawyers who supported the victim’s family and for the Cameroonian Association for the Fight against Violence against Women (ALVF).
The spokesperson for the Universal Lawyers and Human Rights Defence (ULHRD) collective, Me Guy Olivier Moteng, expressed mixed feelings: “Ten years in prison for the death of a young woman who was the hope of a family may seem like a light sentence, but considering the status of the defendant, the complexity of the case, and the time taken for this trial, there is reason to be satisfied with the conviction.”
Initially charged with involuntary manslaughter, Franck Derlin Eyono Ebanga, the former sub-prefect of Lokoundje, was convicted of murder in the death of Lydienne Taba, who was shot dead on July 25, 2020. The victim was a 23-year-old student.
Pierrette Memong, the president of the Association for the Fight against Violence against Women, commended the determination of the victim’s family and their supporters. “In our society, the accused could have been considered untouchable, and at the beginning of the trial, it seemed like they would escape justice.” However, she also believes that ten years is an insufficient sentence. In their fight against femicides, ALVF advocates for doubling the sentences when crimes are committed by relatives of the victims.
In addition to the prison sentence, the military tribunal of Ebolowa also awarded the family 45 million CFA francs (approximately 68,000 euros). “The State has been recognized as civilly liable,” stated the ULHRD collective. “The Ministry of Territorial Administration is designated to bear the pecuniary penalties.”
This verdict underscores the importance of accountability and justice in cases of gender-based violence, while also highlighting the ongoing efforts to combat such crimes in Cameroon.