Court Dismisses Case Pitting CRM Against Territorial Admin Minister , Atanga Nji
Cameroon Renaissance Movement , CRM, of Maurice Kamto sued Territorial Administration Minister, Paul Atanga Nji for passing a prohibition order against the planned nationwide demonstration by the militants of the said party which was supposed to take place on the 13th of April 2019, but the Mifi Court has rejected it.
According to the complaint filed, the Territorial Administration Minister does not reserve the right to ban a political party from protesting but it is the exclusive right of an SDO per Cameroon Law No. 055/90 of December 19, 1990.
Minister Atanga Nji was expected to appear before the Mifi High Court in Bafoussam on Tuesday 16th April 2019. The minister failed to show up and no representative was seen. However, due to his absence, the matter was adjourned to Wednesday, 17th of April 2019.
When the matter resumed in court on Wednesday 17th of 2019, the minister was absent but a representative was present sent to stand for him. After hours of deliberations with CRM lawyers and Atanga Nji’s representative, the matter was later dismissed.
CRM lawyers argued that the minister was not competent to annul the planned demonstration by a public order. Since the supposed date for the demonstrations had already passed, government lawyers pleaded with the court that it will be needless passing a judgment on the matter.
CRM lawyers demanded that for justice sake, a ruling should be passed to revoke the minister’s prohibition order. The court stood in and the session was suspended. When the matter resumed later in the day, the case was thrown out to the dissatisfaction of CRM’s lawyers and supporters. The case was described by the magistrate as “redundant”.
