Cameroon opposition leader wants to be tried in public
Cameroon’s opposition leader Maurice Kamto, who faces several charges including hostility against the homeland and offence against the President of the republic, has asked to be tried in open court.
Mr Kamto was in court on Tuesday to ask for bail but when the judge insisted that the hearing take place in his chambers, he walked out.
The opposition leader’s lawyer, Christopher Ndong, told the BBC that his client is a public figure and the public had a right to witness his judgement.
“Kamto and his entire legal team rejected the in-camera hearing for two reasons. First, the judge’s chambers is too little to accommodate all the lawyers. Secondly, there is no law stipulating that that case be heard in private,” he said.
The opposition leader says he won last year’s presidential election. His party, the Cameroon Renaissance Movement, plans to carry out public demonstrations on 13 April to call for the release of their leader.
