Cameroon Bar Council Criticized for Leniency After Gendarmes Torture Prominent Rights Lawyer
On November 27, 2024, prominent human rights lawyer Richard Tamfu was severely beaten by gendarmes in Douala, Cameroon. The incident occurred when Tamfu intervened to prevent the arrest of his client without a warrant. A video of the assault, showing gendarmes brutally beating Tamfu, sparked widespread outrage.
The Secretary of State for Defence, Galax Etoga, who was in charge of the National Gendarmerie, ordered a judicial investigation into the incident. This directive was outlined in a memo issued by Colonel Pierre Aimé Bikele, commander of the Littoral Gendarmerie Legion. The investigation was tasked with hearing all parties and witnesses who could shed light on the incident and was to be completed within 72 hours.
Tamfu, who was hospitalized following the assault, refrained from publicly sharing his account, stating only that he was responding to a summons. He claimed the gendarmes acted as if they were enforcing an arrest warrant. According to his associates, Tamfu was performing his professional duties when he was forcibly taken.
The Cameroon Bar Association responded swiftly. In a statement released on November 28, its president, Mbah Eric Mbah, instructed the Human Rights Commission and the Bar representatives in the Littoral Region to gather all relevant facts about the incident so the Bar Council could decide on the appropriate actions.
The video of the incident drew condemnation from opposition politicians and public figures. The Social Democratic Front (SDF) described the incident as “inhumane and unacceptable.” SDF President Joshua Osih called for swift and exemplary sanctions, stating that the senior leadership of the National Gendarmerie must act immediately against the perpetrators of this medieval savagery. Maurice Kamto, leader of the Movement for the Renaissance of Cameroon (MRC), criticized the systemic issues behind such incidents, highlighting the training of law enforcement and judicial police officers in the country.
On November 29, Tamfu filed a complaint against the head of the gendarmerie in the Littoral region for “complicity to torture.” The head of the national gendarmerie had announced an investigation into the beating.
This incident is part of a broader pattern of official attacks on lawyers in Cameroon. Arbitrary arrest, harassment, and other forms of police brutality, including verbal and physical assault, against lawyers are common in the country. Previous incidents include the assault of Atoh Walter M. Tchemi in December 2023 and the arrest of Amungwa Tanyi Nicodemus in May 2021.
The Cameroon Bar Council’s meeting with the Gendarmerie hierarchy in Yaoundé aimed to discuss ways to improve collaboration between the two institutions. They agreed to establish a permanent dialogue to prevent future clashes between lawyers and gendarmes. However, critics argue that the Bar Council has not done enough to push for justice and accountability
