No Bail Yet For Fon Doh

By Chris Mbunwe

The Bamenda population thronged the premises of the Northwest Court of Appeal on Tuesday, April 25, only to be told that a motion for bail for Hon. Fon Doh Gah Gwanyin III of Balikumbat, currently serving a 15-year jail term for murder, would be heard in Chambers.

And in the end, it was ruled that the motion could only be entertained on May 2.
"Case No. 20 will strictly be heard in Chambers and only counsel and judges involved in the matter will be allowed to be there.

The court shall rise," the presiding Judge, Chief Justice Henry Morfaw, President, Northwest Court of Appeal, ordered.Without the least doubts, the population that had patiently listened to three other cases rightly deciphered that the pronouncement from the Court of Appeal President were not unconnected with Fon Doh's matter.

The then population stormed out of the courtroom and decided to wait outside on the lawn for the decision from the Chambers.In groups, this reporter spotted supporters of Fon Doh and those wanting him to remain in prison, engaged in heated arguments.

After listening to various pleadings filed in the Bamenda Court of Appeal, following the landmark judgment in Ndop that sentenced Fon Doh and nine others to 15 years each in prison, Northwest Legal Department in Bamenda on that Tuesday requested for an adjournment so as to reply to what Fon Doh's lawyers filed asking for bail.
The matter was then adjourned to be heard by a panel of three judges led by Justice Morfaw.

The press caught up with Barrister Francis Sama, Lead Counsel for the slain John Kohtem, on whose account the Fon is serving jail time, who said it would be dangerously premature for the population to start insinuating that the decision by the judges to hear the motion for bail in Chambers, smacks suspicion of shady deals.

"It is at the discretion of the panel of judges handling this matter to decide whether it will be heard in the open court or in chambers," he said.He added that there is a possibility that if the panel of judges and lawyers swell, it could be heard in an open court with the population in attendance."

Barrister Sama said the population ought to understand that this is not yet the appeal proper, but only a motion for bail filed by Fon Doh's lawyers.

He interpreted the prevailing circumstances while Fon Doh is still in jail as having its own consequences. "I am sure that from the impression of the entire people of Cameroon, in whose name justice is being rendered, they will prefer things the way they are, until the appeal is heard," Sama noted.

Comments

[massamoyo]

W no go work Mr. Doh

[massamoyo]

E No Go Work Mr. Doh(not a Fon again)

[Celestine Fosung Nke]

This man merits capital punishment for his crime.

Hope he is not released on bail because, he may escape into his 'evil' forest and cannot face justice.

Remember, this man may have strong juju power.

[Agbor Arrey (MARYLAND)]

We are talking about a murder case. its not just a joke. John Kohtem is dead and is greately missed by his family. Doh should remain in jail because Kohtem is gone forever. We do not have to compromise with a muderer. Fon or no fon, chief or no chief, we are all under the law. What if Kohtem world have been the one that kill Doh will there be a compromise. Doh you better sit ya budd in that jail and serve the 15.

[Julio]

The court of appeal should increase the prison term to 30 years.That will serve as deterrent to murderers.

[FONJONG]

THERE SHOULD BE AN APPEAL.

And the verdict should be changed.

Fon Doh should be given atleast life imprisonment, or condemned to death by firing squard.

15 years is too small.

[Ashwell Molaba]

Celestine Fosung Nke,

I agree with everyone that this convicted murderer should face the music. However, mention of capital punishment does not sit well with me. Every murderer in my opinion should face life imprisonment. I also know that courts may make mistakes. In such cases people should be given bail pending appeal. The merits of such a bail application should be in the hands of the courts; the same courts that we are all happy that convicted the murderer in the first place. Lastly, let us leave issues of superstition (like juju and religion) outside the court system and government. Understandably, this man may escape. But let us leave it to the court to determine whether he is a flight risk or not. For me, I fully agree with what the judiciary says.

[Strong Boy]

Has Cameroon not gotten a death penalty? What is happening?

[washow]

Mr. Edward Galabe,
Sorry,sir you're dead! No way out for you!
Even if the appeal is granted you,it's going to be the worst- life sentence!
Stay there and experience how it feels like being subjected under torture.
BUSH MAN!

Washow (Newzealand).

[Libali]

i was happy to learn that Doh finally faced the music with a 15-year jail sentence. it will only be good for the judiciary if eventually we discover the jail was not slamped because he's Anglophone to show the independence of our courts.
that is why with the influence of the regime, things may just turn around for him to have bail. he calls himself a Lion Man which means he is homicidal. he has proven this in an unrivaled elections rigging bravery in all elections ever run in Cameroon. he crowned it by killing a high profile subject politician and brother-in-law.it think he deserved even worse.
Libali
USA.

[Nko Mbengo]

Please, please! I am thousands and thousands of miles from Cameroon. The judges have to be careful in handling this case. The anger against injustices in Cameroon is mounting and Bamenda is not a city to play jokes. Any judge delivering a judgement for this case should understanding that this is a high profile case and the consequences for any mistakes will have a lasting effect. This is not a threat, but a cautionary statement. When Cardinal Tumi warned in 2003 about unemployed youths, it was misconstrued.
Jackson Ayime of Greater Washington

[hristo]

I may be stupid here but how does the Cameroonian legal system work? I used to think that after someone is accused of a crime, he is arraigned, charged and then bail is set at $$$$. He then is in placed in custody until such $$$$ is paid or he goes to trial. He then goes to trial and if convicted, gets a sentence. Once you are sentenced, you have the chance to appeal the judgement at a higher court. I do not understand that someone convicted of first degree manslaughter, sentenced to 15 years is appealing for bail???? Somebody help me. I am not well informed about legal issues especially in Cameroon.

[Rexon]

The colonialist sent this criminal fon to impose their will on the southern Cameroonian people. Now that he has not fulfilled some of their objectives, one of which was to dispose all the southern cameroonian land to puppets of la republique francaise du cameroun like baba danpullo, they are sending him to jail. what a shame? There are many chiefs like Mukete who have terrorised people. where are they now, free agents.

[Tonyman]

The fon man deserved life jail. I don't know why these fellows are even thinking of bailing a murderer from jail. If it were Kohtem who killed Fon Doh, who will talk of bail?

[Kelly]

Are the horns of a cow too heavy for the cow that bear`s them? Let the punishment fits the crime. Doh should be jail for life.

[mole fako]

the fon should be set free. Down with the grafi

[felony]

Im Doh Richard the junior bro. of fon Doh the killer.My opinion is that im begging the judges not to bail my brother cos i know what he's going to do next.Can you even immagine when he is so dictatorial even to his blood brothers for God sake let the key of the cell or prison get missing before he's remove from the cold house.thanks to the judge for his 15 years cos i know we are going to leave a peaceful life in our village.na my own that way i fit talk .

[samleyin]

Mola Fako

Just seat where you are and continue sipping your beer and don't even care to change the 'wrapper' you tie on your waist, or the grey shirt on your body that was damn white. You were born an outcast of a primitve savage but I think you have the right to live. Nonentities like you continue to give bad taste in my mouth and I will not tolerate the stench until I finally granulate all your heads on the wall. Pigs should not come to joke in this forum with matters that concern deep emotions. After all I don't blame you because you think those cocoa and cassava farms you have given out for pledge can provide you security. It will soon fall in the hand of Baba DanPUllo and you will get the wrath of the graffi you are talking about. Pig. Let me stop here because next time I will make sure you cease to smile by decimating you.

Fon Doh should be executed by firing squad.

[Dr Rahim Bakary]

An eye for an eye. Let Fon Doe pay for his deeds and mideeds. No bail. 15 years is too small for a bigwig like him.
God is Great.

[Enoh Adolf M ( Vanderwaals) GA, USA]

Beofre makong these comments I want to tell Mola Fako that he has made the most stupid statement in this forum. You Mola Fako are the peolpe who sold the Southern Cameroons to La Republique. The Fako people will have themselves to blame. Any way you peolpe have nothing now as all that you have have been privatised. All Southern Cameroonians should stay calm to this appeal. Who knows may be the new verdict can be life imprisonment or firing squad

[TALKTRUE]

MY OWN POINT IS TAHT IT IS TOO EARLY TO BE TALKING ABOUT BAILING A KILLER FON. FONS ARE PEACE MAKERS AND NOT KILLERS AND IF HE WAS CONDAMED IT MEANS HE ACTUALILY KILLED. SO LET HIM TEST THE FRUIT OF HIS LABOUR(KILLING)AND LET OTHERS LEARN FROM HIS DEEDS.

[hayley]

HE IS NOT EVEN GETTING WHAT HE DESERVES AND HE WANTS A BAIL???. HE SHOULD BE STONED TO DEATH.

[hayley]

HE IS NOT EVEN GETTING WHAT HE DESERVES AND HE WANTS A BAIL???. HE SHOULD BE STONED TO DEATH.

[Divine N. T.]

Almighty God of creation, i wish i could understand what the hail is going on. How on earth could someone who slaughtered another man (a law maker for that matter) receive only 15years. This is first degree murder for crying out loud. As if he didn't have enough, people are lowing for a bail. Once a murderer, always a murderer. Letting criminal Doh out of jail is giving him the weapon to go kill people like us fighting for justice. what he needs is a life sentence. Please this man needs some help from heaven and he can only get it by growing old in prison, giving him enough time to think his past through.
Oga Chief or what ever you call yourself, be patient. thank your God i wasn't the Judge on duty that bessed day you were merciful condemned.
Shame onto you.

[li]

this will serve as an example to all the chiefs and fons who have been using there possision and power to commit atrocious ofences.God will expose more of them. doh should be sentence to death.

[JudeAbain]

What goes around comes around,His Royal Highness Doh of Bali can best explain what happened to vegah of Babanki.there are two possibilities,JUSTICE OR MOB JUSTICE.the French sent louis xvi to the guillotine in 1789.Death sentence for the king.