Detained ADF Leader, Ayaba Cho Lucas, Risks Remaining On Pre-trial Detention, Throughout His Trial Which May Last Two Years.

Norway Court extends Ayaba’s detention to May 5, 2025, as court says there is a high risk that he might flee if granted bail  

Ayaba Cho is charged for Incitement to Crimes against Humanity, in the ongoing Anglophone Crisis In Cameroon

The court holds that there are “Serious Charges & Strong Evidences” against Ayaba Cho, in relation to atrocities committed against the civilian population by ADF under his command

The Oslo District Court in Norway, on March 10, 2025 once more ruled against the possibility of releasing on bail the incarcerated leader of one of the armed separatist group in Cameroon, the Ambazonia Defence Force (ADF), Ayaba Cho Lucas, who has been in detention since September 25, 2024, after he was arrested and charged for Incitement to Crimes against Humanity

The charge of Incitement to Crimes against Humanity, is said to be related to Ayaba Cho’s allege role in atrocities committed by the ADF under his command, in the ongoing escalated Anglophone Crisis in the Northwest and Southwest Regions of Cameroon. Especially the tortures, the kidnapping for ransoms and killing of civilians, like for example the horrible public execution of two civilians in Guzang in 2023, as well as for acts of destruction, especially arson, by the ADF.

The Prosecution Seems To Be Over With The Investigation

The Oslo Court had a number of times denied to grant a bail to Ayaba Cho., and rather extended his period in detention. Initially the Prosecution in the case argued against the release on bail of Ayaba Cho, on grounds that there was “the risk of evidences tampering”. The Chief Prosecutor in  the matter, Anete Berger, and her team, argued that  there  was a high risk that Ayaba Cho would temper with the evidences while outside, if he was released on bail.  By then, the investigation was still going on.

From indications, the investigation by the Prosecution is now over. Ayaba’s men seemingly thought that he would be released on that March 10, 2025, since the investigation was over. Some spin doctors had even gone to the point of writing on the social media, that the judges at the Oslo District Court had come to the conclusion that the charge of Incitement to Crimes against Humanity that was leveled against Ayaba  was baseless, and that the Prosecution had failed to prove that  there is a case for Ayaba to answer, and thus is to discharged and acquitted.

But on March 10, the ADF leader was not released as claimed. Rather, the court did not only agree with the Prosecution that Ayaba has a case to answer, but also agreed as well with the Prosecution that the charges against him were serious, and the evidences strong.  The court thus agreed with the Prosecution that Ayaba continue in detention until the beginning of the case, for there is the high risk that he might flee if released.  Some observers of the matter are speculating that Ayaba Cho might be held down in jail on pre- trail detention throughout the period of the trial, that court speculates might take years, since the court has expressed the fear that he might flee if release before the trial.  However the situation will be a bit clearer when the case will effectively start.

Five Reasons That Were Considered By The Court In The March 10   Ruling

Meanwhile the March 10, 2025 ruling by the Oslo District Court in Norway, and other related issues that came up in court, is contained in a four page document prepared by the court. The document is however in the Norwegian language. Thanks to the United States based NSAHLAI LAW FIRM of BARRISTER EMMANUEL NSAHLAI, the March 10 court document, like other past court documents on the Ayaba Cho matter, was rapidly and meticulously translated into the two official languages of Cameroon, that is, into English and French.

According to the court document, the March 10 ruling by the Oslo District Court, took into consideration a total of five points, to deny bail to Ayaba Cho.  They are as follows:

• “Detention Extended Due To High Risk Of Flight”.

The court took into consideration the argument by the Prosecution that Ayaba Cho might flee if released before the trial. The court ruled that Ayaba’s “weak ties to Norway and his prior plan to relocate to England, justified continued detention”. The court noted that Ayaba who is known in Norway as Yabah, holds “German citizenship”, and has “a residence permit in England”, where his family was planning to move.

• “Serious Charges And Strong Evidences”

The court mentioned the severity of the charges against Ayaba Cho. The court noted that Ayaba Cho is accused of Incitement to Crimes against Humanity, which carried “serious criminal penalties”, if convicted. The court noted that whatsApp messages that investigators found in Ayaba’s phone, as well as key documents in the possession of Prosecution and the court, contained “key evidences” supporting the prosecution’s case.

• “No Bail Or Alternative Release”

The court “denied all alternative measures” (such as passport confiscation and supervised release). The court ruled that “only continued detention’ will prevent the flight by Ayaba, and thus ensure his prosecution for the charge leveled against him.

• “Long Term Detention Expected”

The Prosecution insisted that for the reasons cited above, they “expect Yabah to remain in custody until his trial”, which may take up to two years. The court considered “human rights concerns regarding prolonged detention”, but argued that “the case’s complexity and severity justify extended pre –trial detention”

•  “Right To Appeal”

Ayaba Cho was not present in court during the March 10, 2025 ruling by the Oslo District Court, to extend his pre-trial detention to May 5. However the court said that Ayaba has two weeks to appeal against the March 10 ruling, if he wished to do so. If he so wishes, he will file an appeal to the Norwegian “Court of Appeal”.

It would however be recalled that late last year, the detained ADF leader, Ayaba Cho Lucas, filed an appeal against an earlier ruling by the Oslo District Court to extend his  detention. But the Borgarting Court of Appeal in a ruling on December 6, 2024, pointed out that “the case against him is strong”, and rejected the appeal which demanded for his release from detention.

Barrister Emmanuel Nsahlai And His Law Firm /  Ayaba Cho And The ADF

Meanwhile there is no question that  credit for the arrest of the  ADF leader, Ayaba Cho Lucas, last September in Norway where he has been based for a long time,  goes first to the US based Cameroonian born lawyer, Emmanuel Nsahlai, and  the Law Firm he leads,  the Nsahlai Law Firm in the United States.  Senior Barrister Emmanuel Nsahlai, is the counsel and defense lawyer of several victims of atrocities commitment in the two Anglophone Regions in Cameroon, by armed separatist groups. Barrister Nsahlai and his Law  Firm represents peace associations, displaced families and communities, devastated by the armed conflict in the two Anglophone Regions of Cameroon, especially the atrocities committed by separatist groups.

Many journalists in Cameroon certainly still remember the press conference that Barrister Christopher Nsahlai granted in Yaounde last year, with some victims of the atrocities committed against civilians by separatist groups, especially the ADF. This was a few months before the arrest and incarceration of Ayaba Cho in Norway, on charge of Incitement to Crimes against Humanity. There is also this letter on atrocities committed by ADF under the directive of its commander, Ayaba Cho, against the civilian population of the two Anglophone Regions in Cameroon, in the ongoing Anglophone Crisis.  One of the victims present at the press conference was the daughter of the wardress, Florence Ayafor, who was killed by separatists in the most horrible way.

Barrister Nsahlai also addressed a letter to the Prime Minister of Norway on June 25, 2024, on the inhumane or atrocious acts that were being committed be separatist groups, especially ADF led by Ayaba Cho based in Norway, on the civilian population of the Northwest and Southwest Regions of Cameroon, in the course of the ongoing armed conflict between Government troops and armed separatist groups.   Barrister Nsahlai also filed a complaint with the judiciary in Norway against Ayaba Cho, and even confidently declared then, that Ayaba Cho would soon be arrested to face trial for his crimes. It came to pass.

 Legal Battles From 2018

In fact for five years, the Nsahlai Law Firm under the leadership of Emmanuel Nsahlai, played a crucial role in building the legal case that ultimately led to the arrest of the ADF Leader, Ayaba Cho, last September in Norway. From 2018 until the arrest, the Nsahlai Law Firm persistently filed and updated multiple law enforcement agencies in the United States and Europe including Norway, providing extensive documentation, on Ayaba’s involvement in human rights violations, crimes against humanity, crimes, aggression, and other violent offences.

To Barrister Emmanuel Nsahlai and the Nsahlai Law Firm – “This legal battle was not merely about prosecution – It was a fight to uphold human rights, and defend thousands of victims terrorized by separatist violence”