Diane Yangwo Case: Lawyers divided over verdict
By Synthia Lateu
Lawyers remain divided on the legal decision that imposed a suspended sentence of five years and a fine of 52,000 francs on the husband of the late teacher Diane Yangwo, who is on trial for the murder of his wife.
In a statement on Thursday, 3rd April, the Universal Lawyers and Human Rights Defense (UL&HRD) expressed disappointment at the ruling, emphasising that the penal system must retain its educational character in society. The association criticised the decision as lenient and argued that it normalizes “death in a context where, for simple theft, other citizens face severe custodial sentences.”
UL&HRD voiced concerns about how a person with a notorious history of violence, according to various credible sources from the civil party’s lawyer, and who admitted to delivering the fatal blow, could be so easily released in a criminal procedure that should prioritize raising societal awareness.
While the UL&HRD called for the government to implement more stringent oversight of those responsible for administering justice, some legal experts defended the verdict against Bekobe Éric, stating it was legally sound. They pointed to the presence of the children from his union with Diane Yangwo, the compelling plea from the Defense, and the classification of the offense as factors that could justify the mitigating circumstances granted to the accused.
Barrister Tembi Kuwong Patricia remarked that the judge’s decision was based on various parameters not known to those outside the courtroom. “The mother is no longer there; should the children also be deprived of their father? If we continue to be sentimental, how do we help solve the problem?” she stated.
Women’s rights activists and civil society groups have mobilised to take action, prompting an online petition demanding the resignation of the presiding judge, Medou Dany L’Or. The petition, which has garnered thousands of signatures, seeks to pressure the judiciary to reconsider its approach to femicide cases.
Despite the growing momentum of the petition, legal analysts caution that such efforts rarely lead to direct consequences for judges. Magistrate Ulrich Xavier Ovono Ondoua has argued that putting the judge on trial is both pointless and counterproductive, urging necessary actions in line with the law to revisit this case.
