French Lawyers and the Special Criminal Court in Yaounde: The AGBAW-EBAI DEBATE ⁰

Operation Sparrow Hawk launched by President Paul Biya seems to have attracted a group of prominent French lawyers into the country. The French lawyers who are currently defending the former barons of the Biya regime are now referred to as the “white marabouts in black dress.”

Those who have been indexed as luxury prisoners by the president’s court prefer to entrust their defence to these European lawyers, rather than those of the country. Many French speaking Cameroonians with ill-gotten wealth are more chic to be advised by French or a star of the Paris Bar Association.

French Barrister Christian Charriere Bournazel, the lawyer who defended Lydienne Yen Eyoum recently pardoned by President Paul Biya had complete and total access to both French President François Hollande and Hélène Gal, the Special adviser to Elysée on African affairs. The AGBAW-EBAI DEBATE understands Lydienne Yen Eyoum, the Franco-Cameroonian lawyer has now gained her freedom thanks to diplomatic negotiations conducted among others by Christian Bournazel.

Another French lawyer is Eric Dupond-Moretti operating in Cameroon. He defended Michel Thierry Antagana and the Franco-Cameroonian was also released from prison by presidential pardon.

Barrister Richard Sédillot, the legal counsel for Alanguena Urbain Awono, former Minister of Health, recently decried the political manipulation of justice in Cameroon under the pretext of Operation Sparrow Hawk. He has followed from beginning to end the legal proceedings of Olanguena at the High Court of Mfoundi to the Special Criminal Court and to the Supreme Court.

Jean-Paul Benoit is a former Prefect and now a French advocate who specializes on Africa through networks developed in the continent.  His personal friend, Mr. Mignard, is a close and trusted friend of French President François Hollande. Benoît is currently defending the former Ivorian head of state, Laurent Gbagbo and has legal matters in Cameroon.

The AGBAW-EBAI DEBATE is asking our readers to make public their opinions on why French speaking Cameroonians do not trust their Made in Cameroun legal practitioners

Files from Cameroon-info.net