Diane Yango Femicide Case : Family in consternation as court releases victim’s killer husband

By Synthia Lateu

A heated controversy has followed the judicial decision in the trial of Bekobe Éric, the man accused of murdering his wife, Diane Yangwo. He received a 5-year suspended sentence along with a fine of 52,000 FCFA. The decision was handed down on April 1 at the Bonanjo High Court after he spent 16 months in pretrial detention.

Diane’s family expressed their surprise at the verdict, arguing that the sentence does not reflect the severity of the crime committed and calling for public support to denounce the judicial decision. Women’s rights advocates have also expressed indignation over the sentence, which they believe may perpetuate a culture of impunity and contribute to the proliferation of feminicides in Cameroon.

“I am outraged by this sentence, which, instead of protecting life and liberty, trivializes the atrocity of such an act. It is unthinkable that a society can accept that a murderer is barely punished for taking a life,” said engaged music artist Kareyce Fotso in a Facebook post on Wednesday. She added, “I was wondering why there has been an increase in femicides, and I now have the answer. Justice is granting freedom to criminals.”

Another women’s rights defender, Clarance Yango, who has closely followed the case since the beginning, described the verdict as scandalous for Cameroon. “It sends a negative message to perpetrators who will think that they can beat her, they can take away her life, and they will only receive a suspended sentence. At the very least, they might be told, ‘Sorry for calling you out,'” she said, adding that she would not stay silent in this situation.

Psychologist Aladin Thiam supports this theory, stating, “This verdict is an absolute scandal. It is the new license to kill your partner. Men will be able to say, ‘I will kill you, and I will be sentenced to a suspended sentence,'” as reported by Griote.

The family’s lawyer, Charlotte Tchakounte, cited a misclassification of the offense as “fatal blows” rather than murder. She argued that the act was premeditated, as the victim had confided in many. According to her, this compromised the investigation and ultimately influenced the verdict. She stated that the court of appeal may change the classification, and the family has vowed to appeal the verdict.

Diane Yangwo’s tragic death occurred on November 18, 2023, when she succumbed to injuries inflicted by her husband. The results of the autopsy reportedly revealed a death resulting from physical violence complicated by internal abdominal hemorrhage. Bekobe Éric pleaded guilty in this case for which he was prosecuted for fatal blows.
Diane was a teacher at the Ndogpassi Nylon Bilingual High School in Douala.