Joe Dinga Pefok (Uncle Joe)
The court maintains that the principal charge against Ayaba Cho, which is, Incitement To Crimes Against Humanity, is a very serious issue and demands that he be maintained in detention
Ayaba Cho has two weeks to file an appeal against the May 5, 2025 court ruling, if he wants to.
But it would be recalled that the Borgarting Appeal Court in a ruling on December 6, 2024 rejected an appeal by Ayaba Cho that he be released on bail. The Appeal Court said that the matter against him “is a strong case”.
The Oslo District Court in Norway, on May 5, 2025 once again ruled against granting bail to AYABA CHO Lucas, and extended his pre-trial detention by eight weeks, precisely to June 30, 2025. Ayaba Cho, who has been a residence of Norway for several years, is the leader of one of the armed separatist groups in the Anglophone Regions of Cameroon, known as the Ambazonia Defense Force, ADF.
Ayaba, or better still Yabah as he is officially known in Norway, has been in detention in Norway since he was arrested on September 25, 2024, and charged with incitement to Crimes Against Humanity. This charge is related to the atrocities or horrible bestially acts committed against the civilian population, by the ADF under his command, in the ongoing Anglophone Crisis, like the public execution of two civilians in Guzang in 2023.
Pre-Trial Detention
It should be noted that Ayaba Cho was first detained to permit the Prosecution to carry out their investigation without him tampering with evidences. The last court session on the Ayaba Cho affair before the session of May 5, 2025 which was yesterday, came up on March 10, 2025. At that March 10 court session, it was clear that the Prosecution was through with the investigation. Ayaba Cho’s men were confident that he would be released, at least on bail, at that stage, so that he could be coming for the trial from home. But then the Prosecution convinced the court that Ayaba Cho be maintained in detention, arguing that the possibility of the accused person fleeing from Norway if released on bail, was very high. The court extended Ayaba Cho’s detention to May 5, 2025.
According to a release that was issued shortly after the Oslo District Court session on May 5, 2025, by BARRISTER EMMANUEL NSAHLAI of the NSAHLAI LAW FIRM in the United States, the court once more ruled to maintain Lucas Cho YABAH (Ayaba Cho Lucas) in detention. He said the court ruled to extend the detention by eight weeks, or to be precise to June 30, 2025. It should be noted that Barrister Emmanuel Nsahlai, is the chief legal counsel or lawyer of the civilian victims of atrocities committed by armed separatist groups in the Anglophone Crisis in Cameroon.
Reasons Why The Oslo Court Has Decided To Maintain Ayaba Cho Lucas In Detention
It should be noted that the reasons advanced by the Prosecution, which were accepted by the Oslo District Court to justify the decision for the March 10, 2025 ruling that decided to extend Ayaba Cho’s detention, were the same like the reasons that were advanced at the May 5, 2025 court session to extend his detention by eight weeks.
The reasons 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 carries “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. At the March 10, 2025 session of the Oslo District Court, the court said it considered “human rights concerns regarding prolonged detention” in the Ayaba Cho matter, but argued that “the case’s complexity and severity justified the extended detention. At the May 5, 2025 session of the Oslo District Court, the court said that the prolonged detention of Ayaba Cho Lucas, conforms with international norms on human rights, considering the complexity and gravity of the affair – Incitement to Crimes Against Humanity.
Will Ayaba Cho Filed Another Appeal
Meanwhile like at the March 10, 2025 Court Session , the Oslo Court said at the May 5, 2025 session that Ayaba Cho has two weeks to appeal against the ruling, if he wishes to do so.
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.
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