Prosecution Presents To Oslo District Court, Statements Made By Ayaba Cho, Leader Of ADF / AGoVC, That They Think Incriminates Him As Charged

The Oslo District Court says it is aware that the statements must be interpreted in context, to make a proper assessment of guilt.

The Prosecution in the case of Ayaba Cho Lucas, the incarcerated Norway based leader of the Ambazonia Defence Force, ADF / AGoVC, which is one of the separatist groups in the two Anglophone Regions of Cameroon, have presented to the Oslo District Court in Norway which is handling the case, over a dozen incriminating statements that were made by the separatist leader, as Commander of the ADF.  The Prosecution argues that those statements incriminate Ayaba in the numerous atrocities committed by ADF against the civilian population of the two Anglophone Regions (Northwest and Southwest), and thus justify his indictment for “Incitement To Crimes Against Humanity”, for which he is being charged. The Prosecution however says that the statements attributed to Ayaba Cho, constitute just part of the evidences that they have against him, as regard evidences for the charge of Incitement to crimes against humanity.

There are a total of 17 controversial statements that were reportedly made by Ayaba Cho Lucas in his capacity as the leader of ADF / AGoVC, that, the Prosecution in the case against the ADF leader, have presented to the Oslo District Court handling the case.  The Prosecution holds that these statements incriminates Ayaba and justify his indictment or charge leveled against him. Worth noting that   the information is contained in the English version of the official Court Hearing Report dated October 22, 2022 from the Oslo District Court concerning Cho Lucas Yabah, charged with Incitement to Crimes Against Humanity.

The document, that is, the October 22, 2024 Official Court Hearing Report, has been translated from the official Norwegian language to English and French, thanks to the US based NSAHLAI LAW FIRM of Barrister EMMANUEL NSAHLAI. It is also worthy of note that the incarcerated leader of the ADF who is known as Ayaba Cho Lucas in Cameroon, is known as Cho Lucas Yabah in Norway, and so his name in the court document is Cho Lucas Yabah.

The 17 Controversial Statements That Were Made By The ADF Leader, Ayaba Cho

Below are a total of 17 statements attributed to the ADF / AGoVC, “Cho Lucas Yabah”, in the court document of the Oslo District Court translated  into English by the Nsahlai Law Firm, that the Prosecution holds incriminates him, and  justify his indictment  for incitement to crimes against humanity, for which he has been charged:

• “Ambazonia locks down next week against schools without education. It will be enforced by our forces”
• “If you betray Ambazonia, fights against her, abandon your block, enable the occupier, we will take you down”
• “Two taken out of the game. You have never failed”.
• “Taking part, campaigning, talking about elections in Ambazonia is a CRIME. From Feb 8 to 11, the entire territory will be war zone against collaborators”.
• “In times of genocide, collaboration with occupier is a grave crime. Taking action is a legitimate right of self –preservation”.
• “WAR WEEK Targeting Enablers, Collaborators, Genocide Perpetrators. Fight like this was your last week. Sporadic lockdowns”.
• “Fellow Ambazonians, Lockdown begins 7 and ends 12. Our forces will arrest anyone who disrupts Ambazonia on the 6^th”.
• “(- – – – ) Ambazonia has bled enough. I ask all the forces to target more colonial oppressors and enablers for trade –off with our prisoners. (- – – -)”.
• “Executive order: Collaborators and enablers of crimes of Cameroon in Ambazonia shall have their properties seized, sold, and proceeds invested in the Liberation War. Properties that cannot be sold will be destroyed. This is standard international practice”.
• “Collaborators and enablers arrested shall not be released until the end of the war. Those whose crimes amount to treason and war crimes under  the Ambazonia Justice Code, shall be executed”
• “Chiefs and Fons who continue to use their palaces to enable Cameroon’s crimes shall be specifically targeted. (- – – -)”.
• “MOGHAMO ORDER: All movement of vehicles, bikes, bicycles, legs , livestock in an out of the village of Ewaih in the Moghamo area are banned until further notice. Violators will be shot on sight”.
• “I ask the Chief of Ewaih, hiding in Bamenda, to surrender. Everybody near him must leave, or consider themselves collateral damage”.
• “I discourage Ambazonians from continuously doing business with Cameroon. Food traders along the Foumban, Santa, and Tiko Miselele axis are discouraged. I encourage Ambazonians to begin to create alternative markets for their products. We will one day close the borders. Stop selling or consuming Brasserie products. Every defaulter will be made to pay the ultimate price for violating the Law of the land”.
• “He was handed down special status this morning. All other colonial agents, genocide enablers, colonial apologists must realize that the enemy cannot protect you. Ambazonia is not your mate. God bless Motherland”.
• “In Boyo, along the Belo axis, on 20^th of May, we made it absolutely clear, all those who enable, accommodate colonialism, or colonial apologists, whether they are impostors in political positions, that one day, we are going to deal with you. The mayor, Colonial Mayor, his Inspector , and two other colonial agents were removed from the battle field”,
• “Betray Ambazonia and we will get you. LRC should pick up their DDR traitor at Nchuobuh. I send a strong message to all those working for the enemy as traitors in betrayal of Ambazonia, to know that we will hunt them down”.

 The Question That Seems Most Difficult

 As regard the above statements that were reportedly made by the ADF / AGoVC leader, Ayaba Cho Lucas,, it is stated in the Official Court Hearing Report of the Oslo District Court that the question which seems most difficult is whether the statements can be said to be directed against  a civilian population. “Much can be written about the topic, and where there is time, a comprehensive legal source search can be conducted. For now, the court finds it sufficient to quote from Torunn Salamonsen’s legal commentary on Penal Code 108 note 1 Point 7”.  

Interpretation Of The Statements 

Meanwhile it is difficult to understand some of the statements that Ayaba Cho reportedly made, taking them at face value. When he says for example: “Two taken out of the game. You have never failed”, what does he mean? Defense lawyers will certainly try to give it a different meaning from what Ayaba really meant when he wrote that. That is why the Oslo District Court says these statements will be interpreted in the sense or within the context of the ongoing escalated Anglophone Crisis. The  Official Court Hearing report from the Oslo District Court on the October 22 session, says as regard  the statements, that: “The court agrees with the defense that it would have been clarifying to conduct a subsumption for each of the statements. The court is also aware that the statements must be interpreted in context to make a proper assessment of guilt. However a case like this cannot be millimeter – precise at this stage of investigation, and the court assess that the question of detention under the Criminal Procedure Act 171, can be determined even when taking a bird’s eye view”.

The court report says the volume and time span of the statements suggest incitement to a “widespread of systematic attack”, against those involved. It is also stated in the Official Court Hearing Report that: “There is no doubt that Yabah, as a central leader in the independence movement against Cameroonian authorities, has made direct and public statements as referred to in the indictment. Based on the court’s (limited) knowledge of the case and its context, these statements are assessed as incitement to the aforementioned actions, including murder, deprivation of liberty, and persecution of those who do not comply with the independence movement’s orders”.

By Joe Dinga Pefok (Uncle Joe)

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