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Police Killing of Cameroonian German:

Global Conscience Dismayed with Investigations

Global Conscience Initiative is dismayed with investigations into the alleged beating to death by police in Buea of a Cameroonian-German, Paul Babila, on January 8, 2008. One of the Southwest Deputy Attorney General, Magistrate Wanki Richard, told a Global Conscience volunteer that four of five police officers detained in connection to alleged killing have been released on bail while one has been transferred from the Buea Central Police station cell to the Prison to await trial. He did not disclose the name of the suspects and the accused police officer. He said the four did not take part in the beating of the man. He also said police have concluded their investigations and showed the GCI volunteer the file on his table. The Attorney also assured that they accused would be tried in Buea as speedily as possible.

Global Conscience is worried that police are asked to investigate the brutal killing and that the four officers who have been granted bail should be prosecuted for complicity in commission or omission. It is not possible that the four officers could have tried to restrain their colleague and were overpowered.

Global Conscience also would like the investigations to meet international expectations for arbitrary or extralegal killings.

Police use of force amounting to a violation of the right to life represents a clear defeat of one of the prime purposes of policing, that of maintaining the safety and security of fellow citizens. The right to life is protected by Cameroon laws, and by article 3 of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights (UDHR). It is also protected under article 6 of the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights (ICCPR), and under article four of the African Charter of Human and Peoples' Rights.

Global Conscience Chief Executive, Samba Churchill, has said police continue to carry out the gravest abuses of human rights because of government's complacency and lackluster attitude in the face of the abuses. He reminded that some years ago a police officer set ablaze a man who later died in hospital. He said a judge found the officer guilty of torture and assault occasioning death but, regrettably, gave the officer five years imprisonment, instead of the minimum six prescribed by the penal code. The activist wondered aloud how such a judgment could have served as a deterrent to other police officers.
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Prosecute Killer Police Officers

Kumba, January 14, 2008

Global Conscience Initiative has called for the speedy trial, within six months, of police officers who allegedly beat to death a Cameroonian-German, Paul Babila, on January 8, 2008. Global Conscience made the call to the Minister of Justice earlier today.

The three officers of the Buea Rapid Intervention Unit, popularly known by its French acronym, GMI, were, allegedly, illegally patrolling traffic on the Mutengene – Limbe highway and extorting moneys from drivers and passengers alike.

The officers arrested one Belmond Bobga for driving without a license. His older brother, Paul Bibila showed up with the license but the officers were determined to extort money from them and tried to take the handcuffed Belmond to their office in Buea. Babila's further intervention only enraged the officers who pounced on him and clobbered him to death.

Babila while alive and his mortal remains in police patrol van

Global Conscience is worried that the detention of the officers in the Buea Central police station is an administrative decision to protect the suspect killer police officers from the wrath of the public, rather than judicial, and that the trio will soon be released from detention and at best sent on punitive transfers to other parts of the Country as has been the case in the past.

Global Conscience Chief Executive said the detention was not ordered by the Senior State Counsel who has the discretion to initiate prosecution. Mr. Samba Churchill regrets that the Senior State Counsel may not be able to exercise full prosecutorial discretion because of a Ministerial Circular of 1962 that gives the Minister of Justice absolute prosecutorial discretion in matters involving law enforcement officers and some other members of the society.

Global Conscience has therefore petitioned the Minister of Justice to order for the investigation and prosecution of the three police officers in open court in Buea, and for their punishment according to existing laws as a deterrent to the police and gendarmerie corps that have in recent times become forces of insecurity.

 

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HE. Mr. Amadou Ali
Minister of Justice
Ministry of Justice
PO Box 1000 Yaounde, Cameroon
Fax: 00237-223 00 05

Your Excellency,

We write to press for a speedy investigation into the beating to death of a Cameroonian-German, Paul Babila, allegedly by three officers of the Mobile Intervention Unit in Buea on January 8, 2008.

We are aware that the Commissioner of the Central Police Station in Buea has taken the three officers into custody but fear that the decision is administrative, not Judicial, and intended to protect the officers from the angry population.

We are also aware of your position as the authority that controls all state prosecutors in the country, and rely on Ministerial Circular No. 11 of April 16, 1962, that gives the Minister of Justice absolute prosecutorial discretion in a matter as this.

Sir, we pray you to order for a thorough investigation of the alleged killing of Mr. Babila, and for the prosecution of the culprits within six months in open court in Buea so that justice is not only done but is also seen as actually served in Cameroon.

Your Excellency, we trust that your prompt decision on this matter would adequately assure Cameroonians and the International Community that Cameroon is not a jungle and that there is no room for impunity here.

Thank you therefore, Your Excellency, and we assure you of our profound respect for your authority.

Yours sincerely

Samba, Churchill Chifu

Cc.:

The Hon. Prime Minister of Cameroon (spm@spm.org.cm )

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Stand up for Human Rights; Sit down and write:

Write a letter to the Minister of Justice to order for the investigation and prosecution of the Killers of Mr. Paul Babila. You can adapt the sample letter above