SUPREME COURT OF CAMEROON
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# ALLOCUTION OF THE CHIEF JUSTICE OF THE SUPREME COURT OF CAMEROON
(SOLEMN REOPENING COURT SESSION)
Justice Daniel MEKOBE SONE
21 February 2024 1
The Honourable President of the Senate;
The Honourable Speaker of the National Assembly;
The President of the Economic and Social Council;
The Honourable Prime Minister, Head of government;
The President of the Constitutional Counsel;
Your Excellency, Minister of State, Minister of Justice keeper of the seals;
Your Excellencies, Ladies and Gentlemen, Ministers;
Your Excellencies, Ladies and Gentlemen, Minister delegates and Secretaries of State;
Ambassadors and Representatives of International Organisations.
The Supreme Court rejoices at your distinguished presence in this place and expresses its immense gratitude for your renewed honour.
The Mayor of the Yaounde city Council;
Dear Judicial and Legal officers;
The President of the Bar Association;
The President of the National Association of Bailiffs;
The President of the National Council of Notary Publics;
Distinguished Registrars-in-chief;
Dear lawyers;
2
# Ladies and Gentlemen in your respective grades and titles.
Pursuant to the provisions of Section 33 of Law No 2006/016 of 29 December 2006 to lay down the organisation and functioning of the Supreme Court, the Solemn reopening holds this day 21 February 2024 in the court hall of the Supreme Court.
In the event of this ceremony rooted in the legal traditions, the Supreme Court shares with its guest and members of the judicial corps a reflection themed; “the role of Justice in the consolidation of the rule of law in Cameroon”.
The issue of the role of the judiciary in the state mechanism has given rise to abundant judicial literature in Cameroon.¹
Justice being a public service, has always generated particular attention for citizens as well as for the state.
Justice is at the centre of some reputable cases, sometimes it is hailed, sometimes criticized, wrongly or rightly.
Under the revised constitution of 18 January 1996, justice became a power² it was subjected to more expectations for its role in the reinforcement of the rule of law in Cameroon.
What should we understand by the rule of law?
¹ JADE, Cameroun: Droit humaine en milieu carcéral au Cameroun - Soup et Twengembo, la justice Camerounaise et ses institutions, Recueil des textes PUA, Yaounde, 2008 - BIPOUM WOUM (J-M), la représentation de l'Etat en justice. RCD No 28, 19884, P.17 R.S, les Institution judiciare au Cameroun, Douala Macacos 2005
² The Constitution of the Republic of Cameroon, special edition of the General Secretariat of the National Assembly, November 2018, CHAPTER V.
Professor Serge GUINCHARD in his glossary of legal terms defines this concept as follows:
“A State where all political and administrative authorities, central and local, act in effective compliance with the rules of law in force and in which all individuals also benefit from public liberties, procedural and jurisdictional guarantees”. (3)
The rule of law requires a multitude of requirements:
- Respect of hierarchy of norms; (4)
- Equality before the law; (5)