Litigation: Fifth Law Suit Against CBC Opens In Yaounde

Over 200 Christians and pastors of the Cameroon Baptist Convention, CBC, dressed respectively in men and women church uniforms and black suits, thronged the premises of the Yaounde Court of First Instance, Centre Administratif on Thursday, November 2024. For the first hearing in the matter filed last month by three former members of the church - Chief Jacob Taku and Mr Emi Emmanuel, resident in Bamenda. And Albert Luma, who resides in Buea. Present in court was CBC Executive President, Rev. Dr Nditemeh Charlemagne and CBC Chairman, Mr Yosimbom Mkong John. As well as all the plaintiffs.
In a brief hearing lasting about 15 minutes, Justice Theophile Georges Ntimba, President of the Yaounde Court of First Instance, Centre Administratif, adjourned the matter to Thursday, November 14, 2024. Explaining that he wanted justice to be seen to be done by delivering judgement before November 23, 2024. The date the CBC is holding decentralised elections across the country to choose its new national leaders.  
Earlier, the lead counsel for the CBC and its institutions, Barrister Sonkwa Victorine, had enjoined the court to give her team ample time to study the case and file their response. She was supported in her motion by Barrister Ateh Jacob Fopah of Amaaazee Chambers, Bamenda and Maitre Philippe Memong, who is based in Yaounde. A request, which was met with stiff opposition by counsel for the plaintiffs - Barristers Fon Robert and Changbuin Sanda Wilfred from Bamenda. Who were joined by Maitre Fernand Honoré Tagouemekong, who is based in Yaounde. Justice Ntimba concluded the arguments by adjourning the matter by one week to November 14, 2024. To the obvious satisfaction of both parties.
It is worth noting that four other cases by the same plaintiffs are currently pending before Mezam High Court in Bamenda in the North West Region. The three former CBC members are praying the court in Yaounde for “An order for accelerated hearing between the plaintiffs and respondents; an order restraining the respondents from applying the supposed revised constitution; and for such further order as the honourable court shall deem fit and proper to make in the circumstance.” It is believed the immediate objective of the plaintiffs is to stop decentralised CBC nationwide elections due for November 23, 2024 from going ahead.  
“We were a bit taken aback that we have four matters by the same plaintiffs against the Cameroon Baptist Convention pending in the High Court of Mezam in Bamenda, which hosts the national head office of the CBC. Two of the three plaintiffs (Chief Jacob Taku and Mr Emi Emmanuel) are resident in Bamenda in the North West Region, while the third (Mr Albert Luma) lives in Buea,” Barrister Sonkwa Victorine told journalists after the hearing.
“But counsel for the plaintiffs did not use the jurisdiction of the CBC Headquarters in Bamenda; the jurisdiction of the two plaintiffs who are resident in Bamenda; nor the jurisdiction of the third plaintiff, Mr Albert Luma, who resides in Buea in the South West Region! Instead, they filed their matter in the Court of First Instance, Centre Administratif, Yaounde in the Centre Region! I describe this as “foreign shopping!” The same application filed with the Court of First Instance, Centre Administratif, Yaounde is pending before the High Court of Mezam in Bamenda. This, to me in law, is “double jeopardy,” Barrister Sonkwa averred.  
“We are talking here about the church, which is the nucleus of society. The church is the bedrock of our moral life. Any attempt to destabilise the church means destabilising the whole society. We hand everything in the hands of God while doing our best as legal experts to see that justice is done. The matter was adjourned to November 14, 2024. We will be back in court. For the other cases in Bamenda, we will be in court on November 19, 2024. We are there for justice, justice must prevail; justice should prevail,” she stressed.
“We were given the opportunity to prepare and file our defence after being served in court today (November 7, 2024). We will prepare our defence and argue the motion in next week’s hearing. Then, the court will set the date for ruling on the matter. In any case, we will be there, we are ready for the case. We are capable of getting the justice the church deserves,” Barrister Sonkwa Victorine promised.
Outside the court building, Rev. Jumbuin Enoch, Pastor, Yaounde Field Conferen...