Mad Man Charged With Abetting Terrorism

Ali Taiga was arrested in Garoua last year already suffering from mental problems.

A rather odd scene is playing out at the Yaounde Military Tribunal. Ali Taiga, aged about 30, is accused of collusion in terrorist acts and non-possession of National Identity Card. The offences are punishable under Article 74 of the Penal Code, Article 5 of Law No. 90/043 of December 19, 1990 and Article 2 of Law No. 2014/028 of December 23, 2014.

The matter came up for hearing on October 24, with Col. Abega Mbezoa presiding. She was assisted by Lt. Col. Mboa Guy Archange and Major Ndem Victor, while the State Attorneys were Major Nzie Pierrot Narcisse and Captain Nkoa Akouna. Taiga, who took the dock, could not say anything coherent through his Fulfulde language. Instead, he spent time making gestures reminiscent of a person with mental problems. At times, he burst out into French, prompting the judge to ask if he understood the language.

Asked how he felt, Taiga said he could only feel okay if he went to stool! This was apparently not true as all other detainees who were brought to court were allowed – under escort of prison guards and heavily armed gendarmes – to go out from to time to ease themselves. Ali Taiga’s counsel, Barrister Simh Emmanuel, told the court that he took up the case after a fellow Boko Haram detainee in the Yaounde Main Prison at Konden...