Yaounde Military Tribunal: Nigerian Girls Accused Of Attempted Terrorism

Zainab Ousman and Mariam Moussa reportedly carried Improvised Explosive Devices at the time of arrest.

Two Nigerian girls, Zainab Ousman and Mariam Moussa, aged about 18 years, are on trial in the Yaounde Military Tribunal on charges of attempted terrorism and illegal immigration. According to the prosecution, the alleged offences fall under Articles 74, 97, 247 of the Penal Code; Article 2 of Law No. 2014/028 of 23/12/2014 and Article 34 of Decree No. 2000/286 of 12/10/2015.

The matter came up for hearing on October 24, 2016, after being filed with the court on October 15, 2015. The judge was Col. Abega Mbezoa, assisted by Lt. Col. Mboa Guy Archange and Major Ndem Victor. The State Counsel was Major Nzie Pierrot Narcisse and Captain Nkoa Akouna. Captain Akouna in her final submission told the court that the suspects, who belong to the Boko Haram militant group, were arrested last year in the Far North Region with Improvised Explosive Devices, IEDs.

However, the matter could not make much progress due to the absence of a Hausa interpreter, the only language Zainab Ousman and...